Tryst with Destiny (Amourshipping Story Ash Serena)
by Ritwik Sarkar
Summary: After Unova, Ash returns to Pallet town to get advice before resuming his journey to become a Pokemon master. Now, what happens when someone renters Ash's life after many years. Jealousy, Romance, Drama. Discontinued here. One of the popular books on Wattpad with 7.9K votes and 130K reads. Search @gogolsarkar to find the book by its title on Wattpad.
1. Return of the Prodigal Son

**RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON**

"Lucario use Aura Sphere" yelled Cameron.

"Counter with Electro Ball Pikachu" shouted Ash.

A blinding explosion takes place with neither trainer able to see the outcome of the battle. After the smoke clears an injured Lucario is left standing with Pikachu on the ground with swirly eyes.

"The match goes to Cameron, who will now go on to join the semifinals of this year's Unovo League" yells the referee.

Ash sits in silence as he reminisces the match while sitting on his seat on an airplane back to Kanto.

"Damn. Why do I never make it to the finals? Despite all the training and experience and hardships. Maybe something is lacking. I need advice. Alexa & Pikachu have already fallen asleep so better get some shut eye myself."

 **(Meanwhile in another region)**

"Serena. Wake up. It is almost 11:00. Don't make me send Fletchling up." Grace yells at the top of her voice.

Serena wakes up with a groan.

"Oh great. As if being Kalos Queen is not tiring enough now I am not even allowed to sleep late on a weekend." Serena says while coming down the stair for breakfast.

"Excuse me. Kalos Queen or not. You are first and foremost my daughter so you will wake up whenever I tell you to wake up. Besides in a few days you will join the Kalos Institute of Pokemon so you need to get used to waking up even earlier than this."

"Yeah right." Serena says with a touch of annoyance and sarcasm.

Grace gives her daughter a sharp look before smiling.

"Mom why are you smiling?" Serena inquires.

"Oh it's nothing. I am just so proud that you become Kalos Queen and managed to get into KIP. It is the first and foremost institute around the world."

"Mom I am the Kalos Queen. There was no way they were going to reject my application" Serena replies with a faint smirk."

Grace bends down and embraces her daughter in a hug.

"I am so proud at what you have achieved. I had my doubts in the beginning. Your father would have been proud."

"I hope so. I always remember him before every performance."

"As you should."

"Oh my god is that the time." Serena shouts with a start.

"Ok mom I have to go now now. Shauna, Trevor and Tierno told me to be present at Lumiose city for shopping at 12."

"Ok stay safe. Bye, have fun." Grace says while waving her goodbye.

"I will." Says Serena while jumping into the Limousine.

"Where to ma'am?" inquires the driver.

"Lumiose city and punch it Harry. I need to reach Valerie's store within 20 minutes"

"Don't worry Serena, I will get you there in no time" the driver says, giving her a wink, as the car speeds off.

 **(Back in Kanto)**

"So Ash tell me do you always take this route back to Pallet town?" ask Alexa with her Helioptile perched on her right shoulder.

"Yup" he replies with a toothy grin.

"There it is. Pallet town." Ash shouts while pointing to the town just over the hill.

"Let's go. Hurry" he says bolting of at full speed.

"Eager as always I see" Alexa smiles, thinking to herself before starting to run as well.

 **(A little while later)**

"Mom I am home. Hey Mister Mime." Yells Ash with a beaming smile.

"Ash! You are home sweetheart. I missed you so much." Says Delia while embracing her son in a bone crushing hug.

"Have you been changing your underwear regularly?" she asks with a mischievous smile.

Both Alexa and Delia erupt into laughter with a red faced Ash facing the floor with a snarl.

"Mom I have told you not to say that to me in front of my friends" Ash yells in embarrassment.

"Yeah. Yeah Whatever. Hi I am Delia Ash's mother. Don't mind my son he can be dense at times." Delia says with a smile.

"Not at all. Hello Delia. I am Alexa a journalist from the Kalos region. I wouldn't have travelled your son if I didn't know that." Alexa says while shaking Delia's hand.

"Why do I even try?" Ash says with a sigh.

"Ok mom. I am going to Professor Oak's lab to visit my other Pokemon." Ash says while bolting out of the door.

"Ok. Come back before sunset" Delia shouts.

"I will."


	2. The Eventful Morning

**(Next Morning)**

 **"** Hmm. I see your dilemma young man. A most complex situation this is. We need to think carefully." says Oak after hearing about Ash's thoughts on his loss in the Unovo league.

"Professor I know going on journeys and battling is the path to becoming a pokemon master but I can't help but wonder if I need something else as well. It feels like something is lacking." replies Ash with a small sigh.

"Honey whatever you acheive I shall always be proud of you. You know that right?" replies Delia with a smile.

"I know mom. But I need to push myself beyond my limit if I need to become better. I need to be tougher on myself." ash replies while making a determined fist in his hands.

"Ash, I need some time to think about a possible solution. We will talk in the evening ok. I must return to the lab now." replies Oak while standing up.

"Don't worry professor I will come along too. By the way where is Gary I didn't see him yesterday."

"Gary is in ... ."Oak says his voice trailing off and his eyes begin to widen.

"Oh my god that's it. Why didn't I think of this earlier. Ash this is perfect. You need to attend a pokemon school." cries out the professor with excitement.

"A pokemon school? But why?" Ash inquires.

"Ash. What you lack is formal education. This is one of the main reason you lose in the league matches. When you go up against an opponent in the league I have noticed quite often that you end up playing into their hands. Though you sometimes win but then you lose also. A formal education will complete your void. Remember a Pokemon master without education is a sword without a whetstone to sharpen it." replies the Professor.

"A pokemon school. Hmm, sounds interesting. Ok we will do it." shouts Ash with his fist in the air.

"Pika Pika." responds Pikachu jumping as well.

"That's the spirit Ash. So have you decided which school to go to?"

"I don't know professor. There must be some schools in Kanto."

"There are but for a trainer like you they will not suffice. You should go where Gary is going. The Kalos Institute of Pokemon."

"But professor I don't think we will be able to afford the tuition. It is the most prestigious and therefore the most expensive institution in the world. Besides the entrance exam is very tough. People prepare for it for years before being giving it and still they fail. Even if Ash is able to clear the cutoff how will we pay the tuition?" replies Delia with a sadness in her eyes.

"Don't worry Delia. Ash has 44 badges in his possession. The more badges the applicant has the lesser is the cutoff for both admission and the admission with scholarship. Aso I will be teaching there this semester so I will write him a recommendation as well. Now all we need to do is get another recommendation that will tilt Ash's chance for getting scholarship in his favor. But the question is whose?" says professor with a serious look.

Everyone thinks for a minute.

"Well Ash is the champion of the Orange Island. Why not get a recommendation from Drake?" says Delia

"The Orange Islands are a more of a holiday destination spot. The league there is not officially recognized. Of course we can get a recommendation but I don't think that will impress Diantha much." replies professor Oak.

"Who is Diantha professor?" asks Ash.

"Oh right. I forgot you don't know. Diantha is a world famous movie star and the Kalos champion. She is also the owner of Kalos Institute of Pokemon. She is famous for reviewing each and every candidate's application personally despite her responsibilities and busy schedules. Therefore to get scholarship we must get it from someone who Diantha knows about or rather respects."

Everyone think in silence for a minute.

"I know! What about Brandon the pyramid king?" Ash shouts suddenly.

"Aah. Well done my boy. That is perfect. The battle pyramid is well known for being tough. To top it off Brandon has been known to refuse recommendations in the past. Since you have set the record for the the youngest person of your age to complete the Battle pyramid in the shortest time and been offered the position of Frontier brain, he might agree."

Everyone nods in agreement.

"Ok Ash here is the plan. The last entrance test for KIP will be conducted in a week's time in Viridian City. So you will start studying immediately. Come with me to my lab. We will contact Brandon there." says Oak while getting up.

(Meanwhile in Vaniville town)

"Hey babe. How was your day?" says Serena on her Pokepad in a conference call.

"It was fine. How about you?" replies Calem with a bored look.

"Nothing much. Went shopping with Shauna, Trevor and Tierno." she replies.

"What. I have told you not to hang around with Tierno a hundred times. Still you don't listen." Calem shouts with anger.

"Oh come on Calem. He has a slight crush on me. Who doesn't? I am the Kalos queen." she replies with a hint of annoyance.

"Yeah but you don't hang around with them. I want you to take Tierno out of your friend circle." he says with annoyance.

"I will do no such thing Calem. He is my childhood friend and we shall remain friends. Since you have annoyed me I am going back to sleep." she says while disconnecting the call on Calem's annoyed face.

"Are you kidding me" she says while closing her eyes drifting of to sleep.

(Professor Oak's laboratory)

"Ash don't worry I will give you the recommendation right now." says Drake with a smile.

"Thanks Drake I owe you one. Just send it to professor Oak's lab alright."

"Will do. Signing of. Best of luck for your entrance exam."

"Thank dude." Ash says as Drake disconnects the call.

"Well that's one down and one to go." Ash says.

"Alright Tracey patch us through to the Battle pyramid now will you." says Professor Oak.

"Alright patching through now." Tracey replies.

Suddenly Brandon's face comes on the screen.

"Ash. Professor it has been a while. How are you both doing?" asks Brandon in his commanding voice.

"We both are doing well thank you. How are you doing?" replies Ash.

"Fine. So tell me Ash to what do I owe the pleasure."

"Brandon. I need a favor. I am applying to the Kalos Institute of Pokemon this year. Can you write me a recommendation?" Ash replies.

Brandom crosses his arms, closes his eyes and thinks for a while. Both Ash and professor Oak start sweating.

"Well normally I don't recommend anyone but since I admire your battling style and your passion for pokemon so just this once I will make an exception. Also Ash don't worry if you don't get in my offer for a frontier brain is still open." Brandon replies with a smile.

"Thank you very much Brandon for doing this for Ash. However just keep in mind that when you are writing the recommendation please mention that you were impressed with Ash that you offered him the chance to be a frontier brain despite his young age. That will really tilt the scales in Ash's favor." Oak says.

"Of course. Don't worry Ash. I will write the recommendation and send it over to professor's lab immediately." replies Brandon with a smile before signing off.

"Phew that was intense"Ash says as both he and the professor drop into the sofa.

"Well Ash you better get going. I will handle your application and registration. Here take this book. Study the 1st 3 chapter thoroughly. Ideally you should study the entire book but we don't have the time your exam is in a week. You have 2 days to finish it. Meanwhile I will analyze the previous year papers of KIP entrance test and determine which other topics you should do. We shall plan the strategy to crack the paper effectively at your house in 2 days time." says professor Oak while handing Ash an enormously thick book.

"Ok thanks professor. Goodbye." Ash says while struggling to carry the book.

Oak stands silently in his room for a while. Then he turns to the phone present in his lab and dials Delia's number.

"Ketchum residence. Who is speaking?" a voice comes from the other end.

"Delia it's me Oak." the professor replies.

"Yes professor what happened. Is everything alright?" she asks.

"Everything is fine. We got the recommendations. Now the hard part begins. I have given Ash a book to study. Now you know Ash has not been one for studying so you must monitor him day and night to make sure he studies hard. We both know how important this is for his future."

"I will thanks for the warning."

"Good night Delia."

"Same to you professor" as the line goes silent.


	3. Strategy Time

**( 2 Days Later )**

"Oh my head is hurting." Ash groans while clutching his hair in desperation.

"Pika Pika" Pikachu replies while rolling on the ground laughing.

"Yeah yeah. Go ahead mock me. Good to see it's doing someone good." Ash says.

"I have been studying nonstop for 2 days and I still need to study half of the 3rd chapter. Not to mention mom is tailing me like a hawk. Oh Arceus what will I do?"

"Ash the professor is here. Come downstairs now." shouts Delia from the kitchen.

"Coming" Ash groans then starts walking with Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

"Hello Alexa and professor Oak." Ash replies while sitting on the dining table to eat breakfast.

"Ash it's been fun traveling with you but I am afraid I must leave. I need to give my reports to my boss personally. I guess i will see you in Kalos." she winks at him before waving everyone goodbye.

After half an hour later.

"I must say I am quite surprised that you managed to complete 2 and a half chapters in 2 days. Well done. Now listen here. I have analyzed KIP's entrance exam papers from the past 20 years and have come up with a strategy. In the remaining 4 days we will need to cover another 3 chapters which are chapter 6,7 and 11 of the book I have given you. These 6 chapters combined should account for 75-85 % of the paper. But before we have we go into more details let us first talk about the pattern of the KIP entrance examination. There are 2 tests. The 1st test is a multiple choice test with 100 question. Normally to get in you have to score 85 above and 95 for scholarship. But since you have 44 badges you will need to score 50 above to pass and 70 above to pass with scholarship. Obviously we will target 75 above to be sure. There is no negative marking. Now if you pass the 1st round then and only then will your 2nd paper be checked. The second paper will be an essay type question in which you shall have to describe 1 battle with a pokemon where you won despite having type disadvantage and what strategy was used along with why it was used and what other steps you could have taken. The 2nd paper is used to determine what level of scholarship you will get. There are 5 classes of scholarship. They are 100%, 80%, 60% , 40% and 30% waiver. What class you get depends on your score of 2nd test and the recommendations you have received." says professor Oak before taking a sip of the coffee.

"Now here comes the good part. Since we have 3 recommendations and the fact the you have won so many battle with type disadvantages the 2nd round will not be difficult. The problem is the 2nd round only help you if you get 75 above in the 1st paper. Are you both with me so far?" he asks.

Both Ash and Delia nod.

"Good. Now Ash today you will get a break of 3 hours. When you come back Tracey will drop all questions we have managed to find from the 1st 3 chapters at your house. After finishing the 3rd chapter you will solve them while Delia keeps a watch on you." says Professor Oak while getting up.

"Alright. Thank you professor for doing all this for me." Ash replies.

"Oh don't sweat it young man. As a professor it is my duty to ensure young trainers like you achieve their full potential."

 **( 2 hours later )**

"This is perfect. First that lovely meal of 3 bacon cheese burger with chilli fries and chocolate milkshake and now this lovely breeze. Just what I needed. Alright Pikachu time for some training. Charizard and Torterra come out as well." Ash says while tossing 2 pokeballs. A fierce dragon like orange pokemon appears with a huge roar and starts shooting random flamethrowers. Another massive pokemon comes out with a deafening roar not before slamming its feet into the ground causing tremors.

" Pikachu I have been thinking after the Unovo league we need to learn new moves to increase our defence and evasion. I have heard that some Pikachus can use dig so let us try to learn that. Here is what is think you should do. Use your tail as a spring and jump up. When you start falling down use your tail as a drill to go into the ground. As for you charizard we need to have a powerful counter against water types so we will try to learn thunderpunch. As for you torterra we need to learn strategies so that you don't lose against speedy pokemon. Ok Charizard close your eyes and focus on your fist. Imagine electricity coursing in your fist. Use your aggression and power to increase the electricity on your fist."

"Char" charizard replies with his eyes closed. Some sparks begin to appear on the right fist.

"Excellent work keep it up. Feel the power charizard let it flow. You can do it buddy. As for you torterra practise making frenzy plant into a shield by having it envelope you in a protective barrier."

A few minutes later.

"Excellent job pikachu. I think we mastered dig. Now why don't you run of to charizard and learn thunder punch with him." Ash says while petting Pikachu.

Pikachu nods before running of towards Charizard.

"Well done Torterra. Now go run 10 laps to increase your mobility and speed." Ash says while walking towards Charizard.

"I see you are not quite getting the hang of thunder punch are you? Pikachu why don't you tell Charizard how you are doing it."

"Pika Pika Pika Pika Chu Chu Pika" said Pikachu.

"Char Char Charizard" replies Charizard.

After a few more tries still Charizard is not able to get the hang of it.

"Perhaps we need to change the circumstances. Torterra come back. Alright listen. Here is what we are going to do. Charizard you will not use any fire attacks. Only thunderpunch for offense and steel wing for defense. Pikachu you will only use quick attack and dig. Torterra you will only use frenzy plant on these two got it."

All 3 pokemon nodded.

"Alright then battle begin. It is pikachu and charizard vs torterra. Pikachu use quick attack and Charizard use thunder punch. Torterra use frenzy plant."

After the frenzy plant had neutralized the attacks Ash commanded "Torterra use vine whip on Charizard and Pikachu. Pikachu use dig to dodge and Charizard use aerial ace to dodge and go in with another thunder punch."

As Charizard dodged vine whip and once again attacked Torterra Ash commanded "Pikachu return. Torterra use protect then attack with stone edge followed by frenzy plant."

As Charizard bounced of the protect it was hit by both stone edge and frenzy plant and was sent crashing into the ground. An inured charizard the gets angry and release a deafening roar. This was the moment Ash was waiting for. He commanded "Charizard use thunderpunch then blast burn on the ground. Torterra use energy ball then frenzy plant."

This time in the heat of battle Charizard used a flawless thunderpunch. After the battle was over Torterra was down on the ground with swirl eyes.

"You did it Charizard." Ash said while jumping onto Charizard and giving him a bone crushing hug. Charizard gives Pikachu a grin and uses a flamethrower at Ash's face literally covering it in soot.

"All right that is enough fun for now. We need to get going now." Ash said while wiping the soot off his face while the 3 pokemon laugh hysterically.

 **( Meanwhile in the Kalos Region)**

"Mom how do I look?" Serena says while flaunting of her dress.

"Fashionable as usual." Grace replies with a smile.

"Where are you going so early in the morning?" she asks.

"Anistar City. Palermo called me today to tell me that I have to judge the rookie class performance there. Then later I have a lunch date with Calem."

"Ok have fun. Just be careful with Calem. He can get to aggressive at times. I sometimes wonder whether you have made a good choice having him as your boyfriend."

"Don't worry mom. He just needs to get his temper under control is all. Otherwise he is really sweet and an excellent trainer. Ok bye. See you." Serena says while running outside.

She hops into the limousine and says "Airport pronto Harry."

"Don't worry Serena we will reach in time."


	4. Outcome of the Battle

**(Day of the Exam)**

"Well Ash we have arrived at Viridian City. The exam is taking place on the second floor of the pokemon centre. Your hall ticket is in your pokedex. Now the exam is going to start in 15 minutes. Are you ready?" Asks Oak with a smile.

"Yeah. Well. I don't know. This is my first time. So kinda nervous." Ash replies slightly embarrassed.

"Don't worry Gary was the same last year. So you will be just fine. Now the 1st paper will be of 2 hours. Do you remember what I told you regarding marking all the guesses?" asks the professor.

"Yes I do. 30 minutes before the paper ends I will review all my attempted questions. Then 2 minutes before my paper ends I will se how many A, B, C and D I have marked. Whichever out the four have been marked the least I will mark all my unattempted questions with that option." replies Ash curtly.

"Very good. What about the essay round?"

"Simple. Stick to the word limit. Divide essay into 3 paragraphs. In 1st paragraph must include description of battle along with when and where it was held. In the 2nd para discuss how did I deal with the type disadvantage. Finally in the last paragraph discuss other possible measures which I could have taken."

"Good. Now go. Best of luck. Pikachu and I will wait here."

"Ok buddy. I guess I will see you in 3 hours." says Ash while stroking Pikachu with a goofy grin.

"Chu." replies Pikachu responding to his trainer's affection with a cuddle.

"Ok bye." says Ash running to the examination hall.

 **(3 hours later)**

"Well Ash how did it go?" asks Oak.

"It went good I expect. I knew 65 question correctly. 10 I was not so sure about. Remaining I guessed as per your instructions. The second round went very well."

"Very well we shall see how did you perform in the evening. Now let's get going shall we?"

"I guess so." Ash starts before his tummy gives off an embarrassing sound leaving him scratching the back of his head.

"I guess we should have lunch first. Since it is your 1st paper this lunch is on me." says Oak with a chuckle.

"Alright." Ash shouts as he jump into the air with his fist pointing up and Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

 **(Later in the evening)**

"Alright my boy I got your score back. First off you should know that the scholarship cut off was 78 this year. The highest it has ever been in the last 10 years for trainers with more than 40 badges." Oak says with a serious expression.

"That's not good." Delia replies with a worried expression.

"Your are right to be concerned Delia because Ash did not get a score in the 70s." professor says in a passive expression.

"Damn I didn't pass." Ash replies with a glum expression.

"Oh sweetie. Don't be upset there are other schools. Or you will get in next time." Delia responds with a soft hug.

"I am sorry mom. I failed you." Ash replies with tears trickling from his eyes.

"Actually you didn't. Because you got an 81." Oak replies not before falling on the floor bursting with laughter.

"I actually got an 81!" Ash stammers as if he has just been hit by an iron tail.

Then suddenly he jumps in excitement along with Pikachu with a fist in the air.

"I got 81. I am awesome." Ash yells at the top of his voice.

"Professor. Don't you dare mess around with us like that ever again." Delia yells a little angrily holding back her tears of joy.

"I am sorry. I just had to see your expressions. They were priceless." replies Oak while choking on the floor with laughter.

After the laughter subsides.

"I must say I am very proud of you. To get an 81 with just 1 week of study in a KIP exam is nothing short of a marvelous feat. Well done. Now in 2 days time we shall get to know which scholarship class did you get." Oak says while turning around to leave for the lab.

"Needless to say professor tomorrow we are celebrating so bring Tracey and come by for dinner. You both helped Ash so much. It is the least we can do." says Delia.

"Of course we will come." replies the professor before leaving.

 **(In the Kalos region)**

"Here you go Diantha. These are the last applicants who have successfully cleared the scholarship cut off from the Kanto region." replies Kathy wiping of a sweat from her forehead.

"Thanks Kathy. Now remember there is only one spot left for the 100% waiver scholarship. So let us get started." replies Diantha.

"Oh come on Diantha we have spent 5 hours going through this pile of applicants. Why don't we just pick any random applicant."

"That will be unfair to the applicants who have put their blood, sweat and tears into clearing the cut off. We have certain standards to maintain." Diantha replies with a commanding tone.

"Fine. Whatever." Kathy replies in defeat.

After 2 hours of looking Diantha comes across Ash's application.

"A recommendation by Drake. Doesn't look very promising."

She is about to put the applicant in the non 100 pile when 2 more sheets fall down. She picks them and reads. She starts thinking to herself.

"A recommendation by Professor Oak and Brandon the Hoenn battle pyramid king!"

She gets visibly shocked for a few seconds. Kathy notices this.

"What happened Diantha? Are you unwell?" she asks.

"No. No. Nothing of that sort. This applicant has a recommendation from the Hoenn battle pyramid king Brandon himself."

"That's impossible. Everyone knows he never gives recommendations. Even those who beat him don't get it." Kathy replies.

"No but see. There is the insignia of the Hoenn battle frontier and his personal signature and stamp."

Kathy scans the document closely.

"They do look authentic, but we need to verify this given Brandon's reputation for refusing recommendations."

Diantha calmly walks over to to her office desk and sits down.

"Patch me through to the Hoenn battle pyramid now." she says.

"Right. Give me a minute."

Diantha stares at the computer screen and waits patiently. Suddenly Brandon's face comes into focus.

"This is the pyramid king Brandon speaking. Who is this?" he speaks in a commanding voice.

"This is Diantha, champion of the Kalos region. Please pardon my intrusion. I have called you regarding verification of an applicant by the name of Ash Ketchum who appears to have your recommendation for his application." Diantha replies curtly.

"Ah yes. That's right he has got my recommendation. It is genuine. Why is there something wrong?"

"No nothing like that. It's just that you have reputation for refusing recommendations so why recommend this particular boy?"

"He is different. Not only has he set a record in the battle pyramid but I was so impressed with him that I even offered him the chance to become a frontier brain. The offer is still open should you deny him the scholarship."

"Sounds like he is quite the trainer. To merit your good grace for such a long period is no small feat." Diantha replies with a smile.

"Likewise. I will tell you this Champion Diantha. You would be an idiot to deny the boy a scholarship waiver." Brandon replies.

"Oh don't worry he is getting a 100% scholarship waiver alright. But your recommendation has me intrigued. Tell me more about this boy."

"I can tell you, but that will spoil the fun. You will get see that when you see him. All I will say is this. That this boy's compassion for pokemon is different. Bear that in your mind when you see him."

"I will. Thank you for taking out your time. I need to get back to work."

"You are very welcome lady Diantha. Before signing off I will tell you that I am coming over to Kalos to do some research on some ruins that have been discovered in West Kalos. When I reach Kalos it would be good experience for your students to see an exhibition battle between me and you. Furthermore we can also have an arrangement where a select few of your students can come and challenge the battle pyramid when it reaches Kalos."

Diantha thinks for a while. Then she responds.

"This will be indeed be an excellent arrangement which shall work to our mutual benefit. I accept. My assistant Kathy shall be in touch to discuss further details with you later."

"Excellent. See you in about a month." Brandon says while signing off.

"Kathy put Ash Ketchum as the last applicant for the 100% waiver scholarship. We will begin dealing with the other classes of scholarships after a 1 hour break."

"As you wish Diantha. Glad that the 100% category is over." Kathy replies while walking out of Diantha's office.

"Ash Ketchum. Sounds like some trainer alright. Even though he tried to hide it it was clear as day that Brandon is proud of this boy. I must remember this name. Looks like we will have an interesting new trainer joining us this year." Diantha smiles as she sits on the chair talking to herself.


	5. A New Beginning

**( 2 Days Later )**

"Ash your scholarship result letter has arrived. Here go ahead open it and read it aloud." Oak say while handing him a letter with a seal of the Kalos Institute of Pokemon.

"Ok. Fingers crossed. I swear I have never been this nervous even before a pokemon battle." Ash says while opening the letter with trembling hands. He starts reading.

* * *

Dear Mr. Ketchum,

We are pleased to inform you that you have successfully passed the KIP entrance examination and have been accepted as a student at the Kalos Institute of Pokemon. Due to your excellent performance in the 2nd test you have been offered a scholarship with 100% waiver. Also you shall receive a stipend of 10,000 Poke Francs every month as long as you are a student in our institute.

The term starts on 26th of this month. You are expected to arrive, confirm your student position and check into your room by 5 PM the day before. A private jet which shall ferry all students selected students from the Kanto region shall be present at airport in Viridian City on 21st of this month. The ticket has been enclosed along with the letter in the envelope. Should you miss this plane you shall be forced to arrange your own means of transportation to Kalos.

All new starting students must have a Kalos region pokemon & Kalos region pokedex with them before entering the school. Students from other regions can get starter Pokemons and Pokedex at Professor Sycamore's laboratory in Lumiose City. Best of luck for your future. We look forward to receiving you as a student.

Yours Sincerely.

Professor Sycamore (Headmaster)

Diantha (Champion & Owner)

Kalos Institute of Technology

Documents Enclosed :

1) Plane ticket to Lumiose City Airport, Kalos Region

2) Pickup pass from Kalos Airport to Kalos Institute of Pokemon (with the option of stopping by Professor Sycamore's lab)

3) Kalos Institute of Pokemon Admission Confirmation Order (Will need this when you check into your room upon reaching KIP)

* * *

"That's wonderful sweetheart. I am so proud of you. Well done." says Delia with tears trickling out of her eyes while she gives her son and hug and a peck on his cheeks.

"Indeed young man. Congratulations. Now before we start celebrating with your mom's food first take out your plane ticket. When does the flight leave?" says the professor with a broad smile.

"Alright. As you say professor." replies ash while taking out the ticket.

"No way !" Ash suddenly jumps.

"What happened honey. Is everything alright?" Delia asks.

"No mom everything's not okay. The flight leaves tomorrow early morning at 5. I haven't even packed." As shouts.

"Don't worry. I shall help you Ash." his mother replies with a wink.

"Professor would you mind waiting for dinner till we finish Ash's packing?" Delia asks Oak.

"Of course. Why do you think I asked Ash to check his ticket first. After all I too am leaving tomorrow morning early for Kalos. Did you forget. I will be teaching this year there as well." Oak replies with a chuckle.

"Now that you mention it I kinda forgot" Ash replies while sweatpalming.

"Typical Ash. Now go pack. I and Tracey shall go back to the pokemon laboratory to double check whether we have packed everything as well. We shall meet in 2 hours for dinner. Also Ash since I am going tomorrow too so I shall pick you up at 2:30 in the morning alright." says Oak while walking towards the door with Tracey.

"Alright professor. See you in 2 hours." Ash says as both she and Delia bolt upstairs to start packing.

 **(In the Kalos Region)**

"Serena. Harry has been waiting for 15 minutes. Where are you?" Grace shouts from the kitchen.

"Coming." Serena yells as she comes down the stairs running.

"Sorry I am late. Wish me luck." she replies while beaming.

Grace pulls Serena into a heartwarming hug before giving her a kiss on the cheeks. Then she bends down on her knees and looks straight into her daughter's eyes.

"Keep working hard and stay pretty. Your father will be proud. You have any problems just give me a call and I will be right over." Grace say with a smile.

Serena once again hugs he then starts walking towards the door.

Suddenly Grace says "Oh one last thing Serena. Remember whenever in a difficult situation. Go for broke." while giving a thumbs up.

Serena returns the thumbs up with a confidant smile then runs out of the door and enters the limousine. Turning to Shauna, Trevor and Tierno she says

"Guys are you ready for a new start."

"Of course we are Serena." they all reply in unison.

"Where to madam?" Harry finally speaks up.

"KIP of course. Let's go." Serena says with excitement.

"Alright! KIP here we come." all of them shout in unison.

 **(Early in the morning in Kanto)**

"Ash the professor will be here in 10 minutes to pick you up. Have you finished bathing?" Delia shouts while stuffing Ash's just washed underwear into his duffel bag. Suddenly she spots a photo on Ash's desk. It is a photo of when Ash went to Professor Oak's summer camp 15 years ago. Suddenly a memory flashes in her mind.

"I must say I am very sorry to see you leave Grace. I will miss you." says Delia while sipping coffee.

"I know. But what to do. My money comes from Rhyhorn racing. Since there is very limited competition here in Kanto it is either move to Kalos or face poverty." Grace replies with a sigh.

"Ash will be devastated to see Serena leave." Delia says.

"I know. They do everything together from eating to fighting. Almost feel guilty about moving from here."

"Seeing how close they are I wouldn't be surprised if they get together when they grow up."

"I know but when we shift to Kalos I don't know?" Grace replies.

"200 pokedollars says you are wrong." Delia replies.

"Ok you got yourself a wager." Grace says while standing up. Both Grace and Delia hug each other.

"Mom. Mom. MOOOOOOOOOM." Ash shouts, snapping Delia out of her flashback.

"What are you doing mom? You look dazed." Ash says showing concern.

"Oh nothing. I just remembered something is all. Now have you double checked whether you have all the 3 things which were enclosed in the letter?"

"Yup. Everything is here. Wish me luck."

"You don't need it. Just study hard and keep moving forward." Delia responds while kissing Ash on the cheeks and then giving Pikachu a nuzzle too.

"Bye mom. Ash says while running out of the door.

"Wait Ash. Here take this with you." Delia says while handing him the photo.

"You might run into an old friend in Kalos" she says while giving him a wink.

"What?" Ash asks looking at his mom with a puzzled expression.

"We shall see. Now go. Have fun. Professor keep an eye on him." Delia and Mr. Mime wave at him.

"I will." Oak replies as the car speeds of in the direction of Viridian City.

 **(Later moment before plane takes of)**

"Are you ready to start a new adventure buddy?" Ash asks Pikachu with a smile.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu responds with excitement.

"You know what's more exciting is that all the pokemon friends we have made are coming with us as well. The professor had them transferred to professor Sycamore's lab yesterday.

"Pika Pika Chu" Pikachu responds with a thumbs up.

"Alright buddy let's get some shut eye. We woke up very early this morning."

"Chu." Pikachu says before curling into Ash's hands and drifting of to sleep.

"I wonder which friend mom was talking about?" Ash thinks to himself before falling asleep as well.


	6. An Unexpected Encounter

**(2 Days Later)**

"Damn. Being stuck in that plane for two days straight was irritating." Ash replies as he twists his body and arms to free his body from rigidity.

"You are right Ash. Alright now let us go to professor Sycamore's lab." replies Oak while yawning.

"What are you waiting for? Go on push the luggage trolley." Oak says firmly.

"Oh right. Sorry. Of course. Right away." Ash replies while placing Pikachu on the top of the luggage as well.

A few minutes later outside the airport.

"Looks like that is the valet pickup." professor says while pointing to a man holding a placard with 'KIP Kanto Students' written on it.

"I am Ash Ketchum and this is professor Oak. We need a lift first to Professor Sycamore's lab. After that we will go to KIP." Ash tells the man holding the placard while handing him 2 driver escort passes which they both had got from their letters.

"Of course. Right away sir. We are very glad to have you with us this year Professor Oak." responds the man while switching on walkie talkie.

"Bring the limousine - 42 for guests SAK134 & PSO424 right away." he speaks into the walkie talkie.

"Roger that. Limousine 42 is en route." A voice replies.

 **(Meanwhile in KIP)**

Serena steps out of the limousine along with her friends. She comes out and takes a deep exhale.

"Thanks Serena. This was lovely journey. Especially the stopover at that super luxurious hotel. That was spa was sublime." Shauna replies.

"No problem my pleasure." Serena replies with a smile.

"Hey Serena I was wondering if you would take part in my dance sequence that I have been practicing." Tierno asks with 2 pink hearts popping out of his eyes.

Suddenly Shauna comes and pulls him away by the ear.

"I think Serena has better things to do than that." she says while dragging Tierno away.

"No fair." Tierno is heard pouting from a distance while Serena laughs at Tierno's innocence.

Suddenly she turns around and her expression becomes sad.

"Oh boy. Not again." she says as a horde of reporters surround her with a cameras and mikes.

"Serena, so how are things going with you and Calem?" shouts one reporter.

"When will your next performance be? Do you see any competition for your title this year?" shouts another.

Serena puts on a smile and answers the questions to the best of her abilities before a few KIP security staff see what's going on and then go and rescue the Kalos queen from the reporters.

A few minutes later. Serena is at the registration desk. She gives the registrar her Admission order and places the pokedex on the scanner.

"Congratulations you have now successfully become a member of the Kalos Institute of Pokemon. Here is your ID Card & your room card. Please enjoy your stay."

"Thank you." replies Serena before turning around to leave.

"One more thing. My daughter is huge fan of yours. Would you mind giving me an autograph for her sake. It is her birthday tomorrow." the registrar replies with his feet shuffling.

"Of course. It will be my pleasure." Serena replies while beaming.

A few moments later she replies "There you go."

"Thank you Kalos queen."

"No problem. It was my pleasure. I just adore kids." Serena replies with a smile.

"Now which way to the room?" Serena asks.

"Oh. That is easy. Go out of this building. Take a left. Then enter the third block."

"OK. Thanks." Serena says while walking towards her room.

10 minutes later.

"Finally home sweet home. Here you go." Serena says while handing the luggage carrier a 100 poke francs.

"Thank you madam." he says before leaving.

Serena jumps onto the couch and stretches her arms and legs.

"So soft and comfy." She replies before dozing off.

 **( Meanwhile At Professor Sycamore's Lab )**

"Well professor Oak it has been a while since we last saw each other?" replies Sycamore with a smile.

"Yes young man quite a while it has been indeed." Oak says while shaking Sycamore's hand.

Suddenly Sycamore spots Ash and says "And who are you young man?"

"My name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet town in Kanto. My goal is become a Pokemon master. And this is my partner Pikachu." Ash says with a determined fist in his hand.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu replies.

"Ash Ketchum. Interesting. You are the one who got the recommendation from Brandon the Pyramid King. Diantha told me about you. You must be very strong." Sycamore replies.

"Oh. Thanks for the compliment." says Ash while developing a blush.

"Speaking of Diantha. Why don't we go and meet her?"

"Meet Diantha?" Ash and Oak reply in a bewildered state.

"Of course. She is right now in my office. Let us go." Sycamore states while turning around.

"OK. If you say so professor." Ash replies and both he and Oak follow suit.

A few moments later.

"May I introduce. The champion of the Kalos region and the owner of KIP. The world famous movie star Diantha herself." Sycamore said while gesturing to a lady sitting in white silver clothes on the chair.

"Thank you for the introduction professor. Who are these people if you don't mind me asking?" Diantha replies curtly.

"I am professor Oak from Pallet town in the Kanto region. I will be teaching this year at KIP." Oak replies curtly.

"Ah yes. The famous professor Oak. I am honored to have someone of your brilliance about the dynamics of Pokemon - Human interaction teach at KIP." Diantha replies with a short bow.

"Please don't embarrass me by bowing. It is my pleasure to teach here." Oak replies while shaking Diantha's hand.

"Hi I am Ash. Ash Ketchum. From Pallet town in Kanto. My dream is to become a Pokemon master. I shall be studying at your institute as well. This is my partner Pikachu." Ash say with a spark in his eyes as he shakes Diantha's hand.

"It's almost as if I can feel his determination coursing through his hand. That Brandon was right this boy is different." Diantha think to herself when she shakes Ash's hand.

"Well young man. I have high expectations from you. Don't let me down." Diantha replies in a stern yet curt voice.

"But tell me what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be going to KIP and finish your registration of your studentship?" Diantha says.

"Yeah that is the plan. But the problem is that I don't have my Kalos Pokedex or my Kalos Pokemon. So I came to professor's lab as soon as we landed." Ash replies.

"Well here is your pokedex." Professor replies handing Ash his pokedex.

"Alright. Thank you professor. Now which Pokemon can I choose from?" Ash replies.

"Well. There is a slight problem with that." Sycamore replies while scratching the back of his head nervously.

"What problem professor?" Ash questions Sycamore.

"Well there are no Pokemon left." Sycamore says in a rather ashamed tone.

"What." Ash shouts before falling down on the ground with swirly eyes.

After Ash gets up he see Diantha having a chat with the professor.

"The situation is unacceptable professor. How can you be short on starter Pokemon. I specifically told you to get them with the admissions coming for abroad students." Diantha said as she rounded up on the professor.

"Don't blame me Diantha. The breeders cut their supply short at the last moment. I managed to arrange some backup from other breeders but as you can see we still fell one set of starter Pokemon short."

"Well don't worry. I shall have a talk with the breeders myself. I shall give them quite an earful. But what to do for Ash?" Diantha says in a more relaxed tone.

"Well there is one Pokemon left Ash. If you are interested." Sycamore says.

"Which on is it professor?" Ash asks.

"A Froakie. A Kalos water type starter Pokemon. But I shall warn you this Froakie is not like other Froakies. It has been picked by 6 other trainers and it abandoned all of the and returned back to the lab. It may prove to be a challenge. But I think Diantha can make an exception for you. When the new set of starter Pokemon arrives I shall myself come and let you choose. How does that sound?" Sycamore says.

"Thank you for the offer. But I think I want a shot with Froakie first. I think it will make an excellent partner based on what you have described." Ash replies with a grin.

"OK then. Follow me." Sycamore says as both Ash, Oak and Diantha follow suit.

"Diantha you don't need to come along. I am sure you have more important things to do." Oak says while walking.

"Oh not at all. I wanted to see what happens. What Ash said regarding Froakie has me intrigued." Diantha replies with a smile.

A few minutes later.

Sycamore, Oak and Diantha are sitting at the edge of the room. Ash walks up to Froakie and kneels down to talk with it.

"So you are the Froakie who has a reputation for leaving it's trainers. Well I am Ash from Pallet town and this is my buddy Pikachu. I would like to challenge you to a battle. If I win you can come with me as my Pokemon and if you don't think I am a trainer meeting your high standards then you are free to leave. If you win then you don't have to come with me. Deal?" Ash replies with a fire in his eyes.

Froakie looks at Ash's face for a while then nods before running of the the other edge of the arena.

Ash goes to his end as well and says "OK Froakie. This will be a one on one battle OK. Are you ready?"

"Froakie Froak." Froakie replies.

"OK then. Pikachu I choose you." Ash shouts.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu shouts while running into the battle field.

"Alright then lets start this battle. Use thunderbolt Pikachu."

Froakie however using somersaults and jumps dodges all the thunderbolts and counters with a water pulse.

The water pulse hits but Pikachu stands unfazed by the attack. Upon seeing Pikachu unaffected Froakie release a bubble beam.

"You are speedy alright but don't think that two can't play the same game." Ash replies.

"Pikachu use quick attack." Ash commands.

Pikachu avoids all the bubbles with quick attack then slams into Froakie sending it flying into the wall.

"Whoa! Speedy." Diantha says.

"Indeed. That's one well trained Pikachu to be sure." remarks Sycamore.

Froakie suddenly leaps into the air and throws it's frubbles."

"Dodge it with dig. Pikachu. Then come out and finish it with thunderbolt."

Froakie counters with water pulse but it gets overpowered by the thunderbolt instantly which upon making contact with Froakie creates a loud explosion. After the smoke clear Froakie barely able to stand on the ground panting with it's injured body covered with electricity. Suddenly Froakie jumps away from the battle field. A few moments later it returns with it's poke ball and places it in front of Ash. Ash kneels down and picks the poke ball up.

"So Froakie am I good enough to be your trainer?" Ash asks Froakie.

"Froakie." Froakie replies jumping toward the Poke ball and pressing the button on it allowing itself to be captured.

"Alright we caught a Froakie." Ash replies in a triumphant manner along with Pikachu.

"Getting so excited about catching a Froakie. Very interesting indeed." Diantha thinks to herself. Immediately a flashback occurs to when she was talking with Brandon.

"This kid is different. His compassion for Pokemon is different. Bear that in your mind when you see him."

"I am starting to understand why Brandon recommended this kid." Diantha says with a smile as she gets up. Sycamore and Oak rise as well.

"Well this has been fun but I must be getting back now." Diantha says before leaving.

"Well Ash and I must also get going. Thank you very much professor Sycamore." Oak says.

"Not at all. See you tomorrow."

"Wait professor. Before we leave can I get some of my other Pokemon."

"Sure Ash follow me." Sycamore says while walking towards a room.

A few moments later Ash comes back with 8 more poke balls and climbs into the limousine that has been waiting all this while.

"Well my boy which other 8 Pokemon did you choose apart from Froakie and Pikachu." Oak asks.

"It is a secret. You will see." Ash replies with a chuckle.

 **( 2 hours Later )**

"Well. My boy here we part ways. I need to go register somewhere else. See you tomorrow Ash." says Oak while walking away.

"Thanks professor." Ash says while handing his pokedex and admission order over to the registrar.

"Here you go. Congratulations you have become a student at the Kalos Institute of Pokemon. Here is you ID Card and room card. Please enjoy your stay."

"Thank you. One more thing which way to the room and where is the food court?" Ash asks.

"For you room go outside take a left. Then go to 3rd block. Every block has its own food court."

"Sweet. Thanks." Ash says while running out of the registration building.

 **( In the room )**

"Finally we made it. What do you think Pikachu. Do you like the room?" Ash says.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu nods in approval.

"Alright. Wait here I will take all the bags and put them in our bedroom." Ash says as he picks up his bags and goes towards his room.

Pikachu on the other hand runs and jumps on the coffee table and landing right next to the face of a pretty girl with honey blonde hair who is dozing away on the couch.


	7. A Midnight Surprise

Slowly Serena opens her eyes only to see a Pikachu staring at her face mere millimeters away.

"What the ?" she says with a start trying to get up only to slip on the floor to crash onto Pikachu with a bang. Pikachu gets startled and let loose a thunderbolt electrocuting her and the coffee table.

"What's going on?" yells Ash, running into the living room to see Serena on the floor with her face covered in black and Pikachu trapped beneath the broken coffee table.

Ash quickly run into the kitchen to get a bottle of water. He first clean Serena's face and revives her. Then he gets Pikachu out of the rubble.

"Ouch. My back hurts." Serena says struggling to get up only to see Ash rounding on Pikachu.

"What is the meaning of this. That is no way to treat someone." Ash yelled at the top of his voice with Pikachu facing the floor with his head down.

When Serena realizes what is happening she rushes over to Ash and says "Oh don't scold him. It was my fault. I startled him."

"I believe you miss but this is not the 1st time this is happening with Pikachu. Alright Pikachu you have 2 choices. Either go inside your Poke ball for 5 hours or no ketchup for 2 days. The choice is yours." Ash says with a calmer tone this time.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu sadly says before walking up to his Poke ball and pressing the button to go inside the poke ball.

"I am so sorry because of me, Pikachu got punished." Serena replies rather sadly.

"No the fault is mine. I should have kept a closer watch on Pikachu. Please forgive me." Ash replies with a short bow.

"Oh I am not forgiving you because there is nothing to forgive." Serena replies sweetly.

"Thanks." Ash replies with a goofy grin.

"It's OK. I think I should introduce myself. Hi I am Ser " She says before there is a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Serena says as she runs towards the door.

"Thanks. I will go and finish my unpacking. I will be with you in within a minute or two." Ash says before leaving towards his room.

Serena opens the door only to find Grace standing there.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" she squeaks in excitement.

"Why can't a mother give her daughter a surprise. Did you really think I would miss your initiation ceremony?" Grace replies before being hugged tightly by Serena.

"Come in mom. This is my apartment. Do you like it?"

"I don't like it. I love it. It's beautiful." Grace replies. Then she looks at the scorched and broken coffee table.

"What happened here?" Grace asks with concern.

"Oh nothing mom. Just had a little accident with my roommate's Pokemon." Serena replies slightly embarrassed.

"Who is you roommate?" Grace asks.

"I am." Ash replies while coming out of his room.

"Hello ma'am. I am Ash. Ash Ketchum from Pallet town." Ash says with a smile extending his hand forward.

Grace meanwhile is shell shocked as she stares at Ash. She quickly recovers starts running towards Ash and hugs him tightly.

"Ash dear. How are you sweet heart? It been close to 15 years since I last saw you. Good to see Delia's son has grown into such a strong handsome young man." she says while releasing Ash from the hug.

Ash and Serena are both standing dumbstruck at Grace's words. Suddenly both Ash and Serena realize who the other one is. They both stare at each other for half a minute with tears forming in their eyes. Then suddenly without ado they both run and embrace each other in a hug. Both start crying as they reminisce their childhood memories. Grace is also crying as she takes out her phone and takes a picture of them hugging each other after 15 years.

 **( After the crying has subsided )**

"I can't thank Arceus enough it would seem. First Serena becomes Kalos Queen. Then you both manage to enter KIP and now after almost 15 years we meet. It's almost as if destiny wanted you 2 to get together." Grace replies while giving them both a wink causing them both to blush slightly.

"Since it is a happy occasion all punishments are forgiven. Pikachu come on out." Ash says while tossing Pikachu's poke ball.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu says sounding confused as to why he's been called out of the poke ball.

"Pikachu say hello to Grace and Serena. They used to my childhood friends." Ash says while smiling.

Pikachu quickly jumps on Serena and nuzzles his cheeks in an affectionate manner.

"Pikachu is so cute." Serena says as she strokes Pikachu's tail.

"Chu Chu." Pikachu says as he curls up in Serena's arms.

"Indeed. Very sweet." Grace says as she strokes Pikachu as well.

"That's unbelievable Serena. Pikachu really likes you. It has never let anyone except me, mom and professor Oak do that to him." Ash says.

"While we are on the subject. How is professor Oak Ash? We haven't seen him in 15 years as well." Serena says.

"Oh don't you know. He's going to teach this year at KIP. I traveled with him from Kanto to get here." Ash replies.

"Oh wow. This day couldn't get any better. That's it we are going out to celebrate. You, me, Ash and professor Oak dinner at the Le Cirque." Grace says while standing up.

"But mom. We don't have a reservation?" Serena says.

"You leave that to me. Both of you go change into formals. Ash do you have a dinner jacket?" Grace ask Ash.

"Um no Mrs. Yvonne. I never needed one till now." Ash replies quickly.

"Alright then. Since we have time. Serena and Ash you both go dress shopping. Ash give me the professor's number. I will make the reservation and inform him of the plan. We will meet in 2 hours time at the Le Cirque."

"Here you go Mrs. Yvonne. This is the professor's number and this is my number and finally my mom's number." Ash says.

"Come on let's go." Serena says literally dragging Ash out through the door.

"Good to see some things never change." Grace says to herself with a chuckle.

First she dials Le Cirque's number.

"Hello may I know who is speaking?"

"Yes this is Grace. I need to book a reservation for 4 people at 9:00 tonight under the name of Grace." Grace replies.

"I am sorry ma'am this is not possible. There is no spot available. We are fully booked for this entire week already."

"Then let me rephrase myself. This is Grace Yvonne speaking, mother of Serena Yvonne the Kalos Queen. The Kalos Queen along with her mother and 2 very close friends wish to eat dinner. Should I take it you are refusing us." Grace replies with a hint of charm and superiority.

"The Ka Ka Kalos Queen herself wishes to eat dinner? Of course we shall book the reservation right away. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Fine. It shouldn't happen next time." says Grace while disconnecting the call.

"Well that was fun. Alright time to call professor Oak." Grace says to herself with a smile.

 **(Meanwhile in Lumiose City)**

"Wow Serena I didn't know you had you personal Limousine." Ash says in wonder.

"Of course Ash. I am the Kalos Queen. I even have a private jet, a helicopter and also own a bakery chain." she replies.

"Why are you jealous?" Serena asks Ash with a mischievous pouting smile.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't feeling jealous at all." Ash replies.

"Alright we are here. Harry wait for us OK." Serena says.

"Of course madam. You go enjoy yourself." Harry says while pointing to Ash and then giving a thumbs up.

Serena turns a shade of red then grabs Ash by the arm and runs into the store with him.

 **(Half an hour later)**

"Wow. You are looking like a prince charming." Serena squeaks with excitement when she sees Ash in his cocktail dress.

"Yup I do. This will do perfectly. See even Pikachu agrees with your choice Serena." Ash says while pointing to Pikachu giving Serena a thumbs up for his choice.

"Oh thank you Pikachu." Serena gives Pikachu a sweet round of petting.

"Hey that is not fair why does Pikachu always gets the good treatment. Wait what am I thinking. Idiot." Ash thinks to himself.

"Alright now it's your turn my queen." Ash replies.

Serena turns a shade of red upon hearing my queen. This time however Ash notices.

"Are you OK Serena? You have been turning red a lot in the past hour. Are you coming down with a fever or something?"Ash says with concern.

"No. No. Nothing like that. I am not sick or anything like that." Serena quickly says while waving her hand furiously.

"OK. Now it's your turn." Ash says.

 **(Another 45 minutes later)**

"How do I look?" says Serena while turning around elegantly in her dress. It is a transparent sparkling blue dress. Ash is staring at Serena unable to say anything.

"Serena you look gorgeous in it." says Ash as if in a daze.

Serena notices this and then giggles uncontrollably. She starts thinking "Does Ash still care for me in that way?"

Suddenly her phone rings and both of them are jerked back into reality by it's sound. Serena picks up the phone and answers it.

"Hi mom. What happened? You have picked up professor Oak and are heading to Le Cirque already. Well we have also finished our shopping. We will leave within 10 minutes as well. See you there."

Serena turns to Ash and says "Ash we need to change into our dinner clothes and head for Le Cirque as well."

"Right." Ash responds and he heads of towards the changing room.

Serena goes to the counter and pays the bill for the 2 dresses. She also instructs the attendants to pack their earlier clothes. Both Ash and Serena quickly enter the Limousine while taking care not to crush their clothes.

"Where to now madam?" Harry questions Serena.

"Le Cirque Harry. We need to be there in in half an hour."

"Don't worry Serena we will get there in no time." Harry replies.

5 minutes later.

"Hey Serena have you ever been to this Le Cirque restaurant before?" says Ash.

"Yes 2 times. Once with Palermo and my mom when I won the title of Kalos queen and the second time with Calem. Serena replies.

"Who are Palermo and Calem?" Ash asks her.

"Palermo is my teacher and guide. She saw me competing in Performances and offered me to train beside her because she saw potential in me. The next time I competed I beat Aria and became Kalos Queen."

"Oh so she is your teacher. Who is this Calem." Ash asks.

"Well he is my boyfriend." Serena says quietly.

Ash maintains a passive expression but inside he feels ripped apart. What he doesn't know Serena is feeling the same way.

"Well good for you Serena." Ash replies rather coldly.

"I don't think it's that good. I have been drifting apart from him further and further this year. Besides mom doesn't like him too much." Serena replies quickly.

"Then why not break up with him Serena?" Ash quickly says with a hint of happiness.

"To be honest. I have tried. I am just to scared of him. But now that you are here I feel stronger and braver." Serena replies with a smile.

Suddenly she jumps up.

"Oh no. Ash I forgot to wear Jewelry." she says with a little sadness.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Ash replies with a grin.

"Huh. What do you mean?" she asks him.

"Well you know I disappeared for a while after you changed."

"Yeah. Go on."

"Well actually I went to the next jewelry store to get you something to along with your dress. I had to get you something for all of our sweet childhood memories' sake." Ash replies rather nervously.

"What?" Serena's eyes widen.

With a nervous look Ash brings out a box he has been hiding with him all this while and opens it. Inside it lies a dazzling necklace with silver chain encrusted with amethyst-aquamarine gem combination along with a large diamond in the center.

"I thought the amethyst-aquamarine would go well with your dress and your eyes." Ash says while sweating like an crazy.

"Ash. This is beautiful." Serena says her face now crimson red and tears in her eyes.

"I know just like you." Ash replies while stuttering.

Suddenly Serena jumps on him, grabs his neck and plasters his lips with her own. Both kiss for a while before separating for air.

"I am sorry if I startled you." Serena says before being cutoff by a kiss from Ash. They toss aside the necklace and start making out in the car without a care in the world. Suddenly the car comes to a screeching halt. They both realize that they have reached Le Cirque and separate only to see Harry looking at them with a smile. He winks at them and say "I knew you were going to get together but I didn't expect it to happen so soon."

Both of them blush deeply before looking at each other and then giggle. Just before Ash is about to step out of the car Harry tells him to wait.

"Listen son. I am very happy that you 2 are together. However right now in the media's eyes Serena is in a relationship with Calem. So don't do anything like kissing or flirting in the restaurant. Because if they photograph you and Serena together then it will ruin Serena's image as Kalos Queen. First you must wait for the media to get the news that Serena and Calem have broken up then you guys can become a couple. Till then best to keep it a secret. You with me so far Ash?" Harry says.

"Yup. Crystal clear." Ash replies.

"Last thing. Before going out don't forget to put that beautiful necklace on Serena." he says with a wink causing Serena to blush.

"As for you Serena. I would advice you to break up with Calem as soon as possible and get this news to the media as soon as possible because I know it will be very difficult for both of you to keep your hands off each other."

"Right." Serena replies while Ash puts the necklace on her neck.

"Enjoy." Harry winks as they both step out of the Limousine.

As soon as they get out of the limousine. Reporters outside the Le Cirque shout "Look it's the Kalos Queen." Serena and Ash smile and people take photos of them. Some come for their autographs other come with questions. Serena and Ash don't answer any questions and enter the restaurant. Suddenly Serena tells Ash to go ahead while she does something important. After Ash leaves she goes outside and confronts the reporters.

"The only thing I am telling you right now is that I am breaking up with Calem Xavier." Serena says facing the cameras.

Suddenly a lot of gossip occurs along with furious scribbling of pens and one of the reporters ask "Why are you breaking up with him?"

"Because he has a very bad temper and can get extremely violent and controlling at times. I am sick of having a person who only holds me back and controls me in my life." Serena replies while turning around and walking into the restaurant to see Ash already sitting with Grace and Professor Oak.

Serena sits opposite to Ash and suddenly has a mischievous idea. She starts playing footsie with him. Ash at first doesn't respond but then he smirks and types in a message.

Suddenly a message flashes on Serena's phone. It says "Two can play that game".

She looks at Ash and they both giggle. Grace has been noticing both of them for a while, then stands up and says "Professor Oak would you mind if we danced?"

"Of course not. Grace it will be my pleasure." Oak says while standing up.

"Young man. Not taking this lovely lady on a dance with you shall be a crime." Oak says to Ash.

"Huh. Yeah right. Of course." Ash says in an annoyed way since the professor interrupted their footsie game.

"Serena may I have the honor of this dance?" Ash says while smirking.

"OK. I will bite. Let us see how well you dance. Sylveon come out." Serena says while tossing a poke ball.

"Sylveon will you dance with Pikachu while we dance?" Serena asks Sylveon.

"Sylveon veon." Sylveon says while going over to Pikachu and starts dancing with him.

"Alright let's go." says Ash while accompanying Serena to the dance floor.

10 minutes later.

"Wow Ash I didn't know you could dance so well." Serena says.

"Well I learnt a thing or 2 from May and Dawn." Ash replies.

"Who are May and Dawn?" Serena asks.

"My travelling companions from the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions. Both are doing very well as Coordinators."

Suddenly the food arrives.

"Smells divine." says Oak.

"Alright everyone start eating. We need to get back to KIP within an hour."

 **( 15 minutes Later )**

"That was heavenly." Grace & Ash say in unison.

"Divine." repeats Serena.

"As much as I would like to stay here we really must get going." Oak says.

"Right." Grace says while paying the bill.

All four of them are in 2 cars. Professor Oak with in one car and Ash, Serena and Grace in the other car.

Suddenly Grace spots the necklace around Serena's neck.

"Serena. Where did you get that necklace?" she says with a serious expression.

"Ash gave it to me." Serena says quickly in a nervous manner while looking at her mother's ever growing serious expression.

"Did he now?" Grace says with a rather loud expression causing both Ash and Serena to gulp and flinch at her expression.

Suddenly she bursts into laughter and tackles them both into a bone crushing hug.

"Sorry I just had to see your expressions."

"Mom." Serena shouts her face red with embarrassment.

"But on a more serious thought it looks really expensive. How much did it cost Ash?" Grace says with a serious tone.

"12000 poke francs" Ash replies.

"That is a lot Ash. Are you out of funds if so you can borrow from me." Grace replies with a concerned look.

"Don't worry Mrs. Yvonne. I have participated in leagues in various regions and taken part in several contests. So I have my own mini fortune in my bank account." Ash replies with a smile.

"I see." Grace says as the car comes to a halt.

"Ma'am we have reached KIP guesthouse." says Harry.

"Thank you so much Harry." says Grace while getting out.

Before she goes she turns to Serena and says "If you ever feel like doing it. Make sure you have protection handy."

Serena and Ash jump in their seats upon hearing that as the car drives towards the hostel block.

Later upon reaching the room. Ash and Serena put all their Pokemon in one bedroom. Then they go to the other bedroom.

After making out for the better part of an hour they switch off the lights and put their head on the pillow while facing each other.

"Goodnight my prince charming." Serena says as she kisses Ash.

"Goodnight my princess." Ash says while reciprocating the kiss.

They both cuddle with each other and soon drift off to sleep.


	8. Initiation Day

**( Next Morning )**

Serena's eyes open the next morning. She yawns and stretches her arms to rid her body of lethargy. She sees Ash still fast asleep and smiles. She stands up and opens the window to breathe in the fresh morning air. She then walks into the other room to check on the Pokemon. Seeing them asleep, she walks to the kitchen to get some water. Suddenly there is a knock on the door. She opens the door to find her mom standing there all dressed up and ready.

"Morning sweetheart. Ready for your big day?" says Grace while walking inside and sitting at the dining table.

"Yup. As ready as I ever will be." Serena replies.

"Where is Ash?" Grace asks.

"Oh he is still asleep. We were up late for quite a while last night." Serena says.

Grace's eyes suddenly narrow. Serena seeing that says "No mom we didn't have sex. Just kissed each other. It's too soon to get so intimate with each other. Besides I haven't broken up with Calem yet."

"Why not? I would dump that pompous prick without a moment's thought." Grace says.

"Oh trust me I will the second I get the chance."

Suddenly there is a violent banging at the door. Grace and Serena both look at each other in a puzzled expression.

"Which lunatic is banging on the door at this early hour?" says Serena while unlocking the door.

As soon as she opens it she turns white like chalk seeing Calem standing there with a furious expression.

"What is the meaning of this?" Calem shouts at the top of his voice shoving an article into Serena's face titled "Kalos Queen dumps next in line for Elite Four".

Serena looks at it for a second then calmly hands the paper over to Calem and says "The truth Calem. We are done being girlfriend and boyfriend. I am breaking up with you."

Calem looks back at her shell shocked then suddenly pushes Serena back with both of his hands with such force that Serena falls down on the ground.

"What do you mean we are done. No one walks away from me like that." Calem yells with his spit flying all over the place.

"Behave young man. Or I shall be forced to report you to the authorities." Grace says in defense of her daughter.

"You think I am scared of you. I know you must have been the one who turned Serena against me you pathetic woman."

"Calem. Don't you dare insult my mom." Serena shouts in anger while standing up. Grace is shocked at Calem's behavior.

Calem gets angry at Serena and raises his hand to slap her. Serena closes her eyes and shields her face with her arms awaiting the slap which never comes.

She slowly opens her eyes to see Ash standing in the between her and Calem. His expression, livid with anger. His face resounding with pure anger along with his left arm tightly held around the arm of Calem with which he was going to slap her.

"You put a hand on either of them. You lose the hand." Ash says slowly , each syllable resonating with anger, while pushing Calem away from Serena.

"Who the hell do you think you are. Mind you own business a*****e." Calem says while again attempting to hurt Serena.

Ash's fingers instinctively curl into a fist and few seconds Calem is sent tumbling on the floor wincing in pain.

"If you don't leave now. Then I will call the police and take legal action against you." Grace shouts in an angry voice.

Calem reluctantly leaves not before shooting a look of pure venom at the three of them.

"Oh Ash." Serena says before starting to cry. Ash instinctively pulls her into a warm embrace and consoles her while kissing her on the forehead.

Even Grace collapses on the couch, visibly shaken at what just happened. After Serena has calmed down. Ash comes over to check on Grace.

"Mrs. Yvonne? Are you alright." Ash asks with concern.

"Yes. I am fine. Just a little rattled is all. That was very brave of you to defend my daughter like that."

"Don't worry Mrs. Yvonne. I will never let that creep lay so much as a finger on you or Serena. You both are my family." Ash says while attempting to keep his anger in check. Grace gives a little smile.

Ash walks over to the fridge and pulls out a carton of milk. He heats 2 half filled glasses.

"Here drink. Warm milk is always good for comforting yourself." Ash says while giving a glass each to Grace and Serena.

"Feeling better. More fortified?" Ash asks after they both finish drinking.

"Yeah. Thanks." Grace replies.

"I still don't get something Serena. How can you even agree to go out with a jerk like that in the first place." Ash asks Serena.

"When I first met Calem. I must say I was attracted to his rough rugged charismatic personality. But then when he slowly started becoming abusive we both drifted apart from each other. But I never want to see his face again." Serena replies remorsefully with some tears still in her eyes.

"Yes. I am glad that that is over." Grace says.

"Don't get your hopes up so soon. A Persian always reveals it's true fangs when it is backed into a corner." Ash says while turning around to go into the bathroom.

"Mom. What did he mean by that?" Serena says while wiping the last tears in her eyes.

"What he meant was that this isn't over. Calem will try to hurt us again. Now that I think of it Ash might be right." Grace replies after a moment's thought.

"Alright. Bathroom is free. The initiation ceremony is in one hour. You are up Serena." Ash says while coming out.

"Thanks. Ash." Serena says as she goes to use the bathroom.

When Serena leaves Ash sits down in front of Grace with a serious expression. "We need to have a talk."

"I had a feeling you might say that." Grace replies.

"For starters tell me everything you know about that creep."

Later when Serena comes out Ash and Grace are chatting with Delia on the laptop.

"It's so nice to see you Grace." Delia replies with a smile.

"You too Delia. It has been a long while now that I come to think of it." Grace replies.

"Now I am actually relieved. Someone is there who can take care of my little boy." Delia replies giggling.

"Oh your son is actually taking care of us. I am so glad Serena is dating him."

Both Ash and Serena flush red at that comment and give a nervous smile.

"Well that is excellent. Looks like I will win our wager after all Grace." Delia replies.

"It will be my pleasure. Alright we have got to go." Grace replies

"Ash take care of Serena. Girls like her come once in a blue moon." Delia says before signing off.

Serena turns red on hearing that last comment.

"Alright you two .Time to head to the food court for breakfast. From there straight to the initiation." Grace says while opening the door.

 **( 1 hour later )**

"Welcome one, welcome all to another brand new year at the Kalos Institute of Pokemon." Diantha says into the microphone while the crowd erupts with cheer.

"For all who don't know me yet, my name is Diantha. I am the champion of the Kalos region and the owner of KIP" she says while giving a small bow.

"And with me on stage are my elite four. First and foremost Malva the fire type trainer followed by Wikstrom the steel type trainer. Then we have Drasna the dragon master and finally Seibold the water type trainer." Diantha cries.

The crowd erupts in cheers on looking at their elite four waving at them.

"Last but not least. We have the headmaster of this renowned institution. The man responsible for keeping this institution at the prestigious position of number 1. The leading authority on mega evolution. Please give a warm welcome to Professor Sycamore."

After all the cheering had subsides Diantha once again resumes speaking.

"Now the time has come for the revered initiation ceremony to begin. For all those who don't know. This tradition has been going on in the Kalos Institute of Pokemon for the past 20 years." Diantha says before taking a small pause.

"Here is how this ceremony goes. All new trainers who have joined KIP this year first come on the stage with their Kalos Pokemon. Then both trainer and Pokemon have blindfolds placed on their eyes. The Pokemon enter the room behind me while the trainer enters the room behind professor Sycamore. Inside the room are kept various pouches. Both trainer and Pokemon each choose one pouch from each room and come out and remove their blindfolds. Inside each pouch there is a piece of paper with a code on it. When the trainer and Pokemon come outside, the pouches are opened and the codes are combined. The combined code is entered into the computer and based on the code the trainer and Pokemon receives a gift marking the beginning of their journey at KIP. The gift can be anything from vacation offers to evolution stones etc. So as the announcer reads out the names, all starter trainers come one by one with your Kalos Pokemon. Let the bond between you and your Pokemon guide you to your symbol which signifies the start of your journey in the Kalos Institute of Pokemon." Diantha says while handing the mike over to the announcer.

After a few students had already been called out. The announcer says "Ash Ketchum."

"Serena hold Pikachu for me will you?"

"Sure. No problem." Serena replies as Pikachu nuzzles his cheeks with Serena's.

Ash walks onto the stage with Froakie and both of them enter their respective rooms with their blindfolds on.

Meanwhile in the stands.

"Ashy boy. No way. What is he doing here? Grandpa never told me anything about it." Gary shouts.

"Looks like he made it in alright." Paul replies as he sits with his arms crossed.

"That's nice. i haven't seen him since the Sinnoh league." Brock says.

Dawn and May become ecstatic. Both start cheering for Ash.

Drew and Barry get a bit annoyed seeing Dawn and May so excited.

"I wish I got half the attention that Ash gets." Drew said quietly.

"Tell me about it. I don't know what they like about him. His creepy hairstyle or his stupidity." Barry replies.

Meanwhile far away in the corner of the stadium. Calem is standing with a livid face. His expression imbued with hatred.

"Just you wait Ketchup. I shall make your and Serena's life a living hell. No one talks to the next elite four like that."

Meanwhile on the stage. Both Ash and Froakie come back with their pouches. Sycamore open the pouches and enters the code into the computer.

After a while the computer sends out a black box. Ash opens it only to find 2 stones in it.

Sycamore's eyes widen as he takes the microphone from the announcer and says "Ladies and gentlemen this is unbelievable. Ash and his Froakie have got a mega stone and a key stone. This combination has not been claimed by anyone in the last 6 years. So everyone give him a round of applause."

Even Diantha looks on in shock. Then she joins along with everyone in giving Ash applause. Ash gets nervous and stumbles. Serena looking at him giggles. He gives a short bow before going off stage.

Ash walks towards Serena and Grace.

"Congrats Ash. A very special memento indeed. Now you can extend your battling style to include mega evolution. That is if you have the right Pokemon to go with the mega stone." Grace says with a smile.

"That was wonderful." Serena says as she gives Ash a peck on the cheeks.

"Thanks, you two. But how do I know with which Pokemon does this mega stone pair with?" Ash says.

"I am sure professor Sycamore will be able to tell you." Grace replies.

"Wish me luck I am up next." Serena says.

"You don't need it. Kalos Queen." Ash says before kissing her on the cheek as well.

Meanwhile on the stage.

"Finally we have the last student. The Kalos Queen herself. Give it up for Serena." the announcer announces.

The entire crowd erupts into cheers. Even Gary, Paul and Brock look at her with pink hearts popping out of their eyes.

"I wish she would become my queen." Gary says while drooling at her.

"No. She doesn't want a loser like you." Paul says aggressively.

"Look who is talking. The coldest person I have ever met who doesn't even talk to normal girls without intimidating them and you think you have a shot with her. Fat chance."

"Neither of you stand a chance against me." says Brock.

"We don't need to. As long as you have your Toxicroak with you." Paul remarks with a smirk.

Suddenly a fight breaks out. Finally Dawn and May eventually manage to separate Paul, Brock and Gary who are fighting each other like a trio of angry Rhyhorn.

Meanwhile on the stage

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Serena has got a fire stone and with this we conclude the morning session of the initiation ceremony. See you all after lunch for the special event planned out for all of you."

 **( Later in the food court )**

Serena looks for a spot to sit with her mother while Ash has gone to the washroom.

"Serena stay here. I will go look for a place to sit." Grace says before walking away.

Suddenly Brock lands in front of Serena and stretches out his hand.

"You are the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. Will you go on a date with me." Brock says.

Suddenly Toxicroak comes out of his Poke ball and gives Brock a poison jab causing him to fall on the ground. Seconds later Toxicroak drags Brock away out of sight. Gary,Paul and all the others fall on the floor laughing. Serena tries to contemplate what has happened then turns around to check her phone. Paul says "My turn."

He walks up to Serena and extends his hand and says "Hi. I am Paul, the 2nd best battler in KIP. How do you do?"

"I am Serena. I know who you are."

"You do?" Paul replies. His eyes twinkling with excitement.

"My ex boyfriend Calem told that you train Pokemon by treating them like your servants just like he does. I am freaking tired of Calem so I think it is best not to have another person like Calem near me. Have a nice day." Serena says while turning away.

Paul returns embarrassed. All the others including Brock now laugh at him.

"So much for being the second best. Now watch and learn." Gary says as he walks over to Serena.

"Hello. My name is Gary. Gary Oak. How do you do?"

"Hi my name is Serena. I admire your grandfather a lot." Serena replies while shaking Gary's hand.

"Whoa. Gary is actually faring better than us." Brock says. Paul acknowledges with a sorrowful nod.

"Say if you are free someday you could come and watch a movie with me and my grandpa." Gary says.

"I would love that." Serena replies.

"You would?" Gary says. Then he turns around and gives Brock and Paul a smirk who do nothing but glare back at him.

"What I mean to say is I would love to go with your grandpa. I must thank him for yesterday. It was due to him I had my first romantic dance with my new boyfriend."

Gary's expression changes from smiling to dumbstruck. Then he gets up, takes his leave and walks back to Paul and Brock with a disappointed face.

"What happened buddy? Why are you sad? You actually managed to get further than either of us could." Brock asks.

After Gary tells them what happens they all fall down on the floor laughing.

"So to top it off your own grandfather sealed your shot with the Kalos Queen. How ironic is that?" says Barry while choking with laughter.

"Yeah." replies Gary with a low spirit.

"Hey guys long time no see." Ash shouts as he comes running towards them.

"Hey Ashy boy. Good to see you dude." Gary hugs Ash.

"Missed you dude." Brock says as he does the same.

"Long time no see Ash." Dawn says in flirtatious voice as she hugs Ash.

"It has been too long Ash." May says as she hugs Ash tightly as well.

"Hey everyone. It is good to see guys after a long time. We sure did have some good times didn't we." Ash says.

"Yeah we did." everyone replies.

"So how have you all been?"

"Good."

"Oh before I forget let me introduce you to someone special. This is Serena the Kalos Queen. She is my room mate and my girlfriend." Ash says.

"WHAT !" Paul, Gary, Brock, Dawn and May shout before falling down on the ground with swirly eyes. Both Ash and Serena look at each other puzzled at what just happened while Barry and Drew laugh their lungs out. Ash is about to ask them what just happened when suddenly they both hear Grace calling them. Ash and Serena turn around and leave. They find Grace sitting at a table with 2 other children both with blonde hair.

"Hi I am Clement the Lumiose city gym leader. I am an inventor and this is my partner Bunnelby." the older child replies.

"Hi I am Bonnie his sister. This is my partner Dedenne." the little blonde girl replies.

"I was just talking to these lovely children while waiting for you both." Grace explains.

"Oh that's alright Grace. Hi I am Ash from Pallet town. My irlfriend obviously needs no introduction." Ash says with his finger pointing to Serena.

"The Pokemon cuddled in my girlfriend's lap is my partner Pikachu." Ash says.

"How cute. May I please pet it?" Bonnie says.

"Sure you can. He will up soon for his lunch then you can pet him all you want." Ash says while sitting down.

Meanwhile Gary, Brock, Paul, Dawn and May have recovered and are sitting at their table.

"How on the earth did Ashy boy, the most dense person ,on this entire planet , when it comes to feelings and girls, get Serena to go out with her." Gary says in disappointment.

"Even without wanting it he gets all the chicks. First Misty, then these 2 and now the Kalos Queen." Brock replies.

"As if losing battles wasn't enough. Now we can't even compete with him when it comes to women." Paul says.

"How can my Ash do that to me." Both Dawn and May say at the same time. Then they both glare at each other and start a girl fight.

After a few minutes Paul shouts "Enough." in a tone loud enough to make then stop fighting.

"Let's just eat our food and get going." he says before walking to the food counter. The others follow suit.


	9. Underdog vs Champion

**( In the food court )**

"I see that even now you haven't lost your appetite." Grace replies while finishing her stew.

"I still don't understand. How can you eat so much and stay so fit?" Clement says.

"Well I am a trainer. I need plenty of energy to perform my best." Ash says while finishing his 4th hamburger

"Pika Pika." Pikachu replies with a thumbs up while eating his 4th pancake covered in sauce.

"Well Clement. You are the gym leader of Prism tower in Lumoise city. That's nice. What's the story with you and Bonnie?" Serena asks Clement.

"Well. My dad Meyer at the moment is acting as gym leader. The Lumiose city gym specializes in electric types. In order to ensure that I become a gym leader the Lumiose city can be proud of. My dad had me take the KIP entrance examination. I got a 100 in the first round and of course got in with a 100% percent scholarship waiver." Clement says while fixing the position of his eye glasses with a smile.

"Wow. A 100 in the first test. You must be like one of those freaking geniuses." Serena and Ash shout in unison. Even Grace looks impressed.

"Well that is enough about us. Tell me something about you guys." Bonnie says.

"Well I am from Pallet town in the Kanto region. My goal is to become a Pokemon master." Ash says.

"Kanto huh. I have never been there. I have heard that it is different from Kalos but it is quite similar when it comes to natural beauty." Clement says in excitement.

"Well from what I have seen in Kalos you are absolutely right." Ash says.

"How much did you get in the KIP exam Ash?" Serena asks.

"Oh right. I never got a chance to tell you did I. Well I got 81 in the first test. Like Clement I got a 100% scholarship." Ash replies with a feeling of triumph.

"Oh. I only got a 40% waiver." Serena replies with a low tone.

"Don't worry Serena. It is just a test. There will be many more to come now that we are in a school. Never give up till the end." Ash replies with a determined smile as he points a fist towards Serena.

"Alright." Serena says with a cheerful tone while she gives Ash a fist bump.

Suddenly the bell rings signifying the end of the lunch break.

 **( In the VIP Box )**

"Clement what are we doing here? Why aren't we sitting in the stands." Bonnie asks Clement.

"Well since I am the Lumoise city gym leader and you are my sister hence we both sit in the VIP box.

"But what event has been planned today? Do you have any idea mom?"Serena questions Grace.

"Nope. We will just have to wait and see." Grace replies.

"Indeed. But I promise you it won't be a dull event." Professor Sycamore says while sitting down next to Grace.

"When will it start Professor?" Bonnie asks.

"Should start soon. Ah ha there is Diantha on the stage. Here we go." Sycamore says while pointing to the stage.

"Welcome back everyone. I hope you all had a satisfying lunch. Now it is time for the main event to get started." Diantha says as the crowd erupts in cheers.

"In this event. We shall have 2 battles. The first battle shall be between one of the new students who have taken admission this year and the champion of the school, under my personal mentor ship, Calem Xavier. The new student shall be randomly chosen by computer." Diantha says.

As Calem walks onto the stage. Many people cheer for him. Meanwhile Grace and Serena look completely pissed off.

"I hope that jerk loses and becomes the laughing stock of the entire school." Serena says so loudly that everyone in the VIP box hears her loud and clear.

"That is no way to talk about someone." Professor Sycamore says.

"Grace you should tell your daughter to be more respectful." Oak says while agreeing with Sycamore.

"Normally I would. But I think Serena's statement is more than polite when it comes to that boy." Grace says without even reacting.

"What?" Sycamore says in a loud voice. Everyone looks at Grace in stunned silence.

"Today in the morning that boy came into Serena's room. Not only did he shout verbally abuse me and Serena. But he even used physical force on her and tried to slap Serena." Grace says in an angry yet controlled tone.

Everyone in the VIP box is shell shocked from all the gym leaders to the Elite Four. Even the professors look on in shock.

Sycamore is the first one to recover and he breaks the silence.

"I guess after that article in the paper some reaction was expected but if he went to this extent then this is a serious issue. I will speak with Diantha about it and take disciplinary action." Sycamore replies with a serious tone. The other professors nod in agreement.

"Any way let's forget all this sad stuff and enjoy the event. Thinking about such stuff will only dampen everyone's mood. We can all deal with this issue later." Bonnie replies.

"Yes we should. But professor Sycamore is right. That is not how a Kalos Queen should behave Serena."

Everyone looks around to find the origin of the voice. They all find Palermo sitting in the corner with her arms crossed.

"Palermo. What are you doing here?" Serena says as she runs and hugs Palermo.

Palermo smiles and then looks at Serena and says "Well Diantha invited me. Who am I to refuse such a gracious invitation."

Palermo places both of her hands on Serena's shoulder and says "I am very sorry for the way that boy treated you. But you can't degrade yourself to his level by saying such things. If you come down to his level then how are you better? Is that how a queen should be?" Palermo says.

Serena then looks down at the floor. Her feet shuffle. Then she looks up and says "I guess you are right. I am sorry."

"Oh my dear. No need to get upset. It wasn't your fault. I am sure you will find someone even better than that Calem boy." Palermo says with a wink.

"Oh no need. Because Serena is already dating someone else." Bonnie says with a smirk.

"Bonnie." Serena says suddenly while going red only to see Bonnie smiling mischievously.

"Really and who is that?" Palermo asks.

"Why tell you when you can see him in action. It seems that your boyfriend is going up against Calem Serena." Bonnie replies while laughing.

"What?" Grace and Serena say in unison as they both refocus their attention to the battle only to see Ash standing opposite Calem.

"Oh boy!" Serena says in a tense tone.

"Hello everyone. Nice to see everyone in such a good mood." Diantha says while walking into the VIP box.

"The mood is not exactly good Diantha." Seibold says in a serious voice.

"Why what happened?" Diantha asks.

 **(Meanwhile on the battle field)**

"Get ready Ketchup because I am going to crush you for meddling in my and Serena's affairs." Calem says with a growl while taking out a poke ball.

"First of all the name in Ketchum. Second of all Serena is my girlfriend. And finally only time will tell who crushes who." Ash replies while taking out his own poke ball.

"This will be a 6 on 6 battle with substitutions allowed. The battle will be over when a trainer's all 6 Pokemon are unable to battle. Alright battle begin." referee says.

"Battle for me Tyranitar." Calem yells.

"Come out Torterra." Ash shouts.

Both Pokemon emerge on the battle field and growl at each other while sizing each other up.

 **(Meanwhile in the VIP box)**

Diantha is shocked when Grace finishes telling her what happened. Serena actually has tears in her eyes as she reminisces the morning event.

"I am so so sorry. I had no idea that Calem would do such a thing. I promise you I shall deal with him when the match is over." Diantha tells Serena.

"Thank you." Serena says as she looks over at the match.

 **(On the battle field)**

"Tyranitar use your earthquake to overpower that overgrown plant of a Pokemon."

Tyranitar releases it's earthquake. The crowd erupts in cheer as a great ball of dust envelopes Torterra.

Calem smirks. But his smirk disappears when he see Torterra standing as if nothing has happened.

The crowd is shocked as well to see Torterra standing as though nothing happened.

"Torterra use earthquake followed by frenzy plant." Ash commands.

Torterra raises itself on it's hind legs then slams it's front legs on the ground releasing a powerful earthquake.

Tyranitar immediately collapses. Before it can recover suddenly frenzy plant strikes it completely immobilizing and overpowering it's body.

"Tyranitar use hyper beam." Calem yells in desperation.

As Torterra removes it's frenzy plant Tyranitar is on the ground with swirly eyes. There is stunned silence in the crowd. Even Gary and Paul who have never been able to beat Calem look in utter shock. Calem recovers from the shock and then recalls Tyranitar.

"A grass type. I will make short work of it. Talonflame stand by for battle" Calem shouts.

"Does the new student wish to make an exchange." the referee asks.

"No thanks. I am sticking with Torterra." Ash replies.

"Ha. What a fool your Torterra is at a type disadvantage. This will be easy." Calem says.

"Type advantage isn't everything." Ash replies.

"Alright then Talonflame use flame charge to boost up your speed. Then brave bird and attack Torterra." Calem commands.

Talonflame first turns red as it is enveloped in fire then turns blue and heads straight for Torterra.

Ash doesn't give a command as the distance between Torterra and Talonflame keeps reducing.

"I think he has given up on Torterra." someone in the crowd says.

Seconds before Talonflame makes contact Ash shouts "Use protect. Then grab it with vine whip followed by brutal swing."

"Oh no." Calem shouts as he realizes that he has played right into Ash's hands.

Talonflame bounces off protect. Then it is caught by vine whip. As soon as it's caught, the vine whip swing Talonflame so violently that it gets dazed.

"Now slam it on the ground in front of you and finish it off with solar beam."

Talonflame is slammed on the ground and seconds later blasted by a solar beam at point blank range. After the explosion clears Talonflame is on the ground with swirly eyes.

The crowd starts murmuring. They have never seen the school champion losing in such a humiliating way.

 **(In the VIP box)**

"I knew that Ash was good but I didn't think he will make Diantha's protege look like a piece of stale meat" Seibold replies. All the members of the elite four, the gym leaders and the professors look impressed.

"I wouldn't count out Calem yet. He may be 2 Pokemon down but Ash does not have any Pokemon that can mega evolve. Not to mention Calem has a legendary up his sleeve as well." Diantha says.

Serena however, is blushing like crazy. Even Grace is impressed by Ash's battling skills.

 **(20 minutes later)**

"Wow. Ash managed to take out Chesnaught, Vaporeon , Tyranitar and Talonflame while his Torterra has only taken one hit from Vaporeon. That is impressive. I am afraid Diantha your protege is completely out of his league." Malva remarks.

"He is. But now after how he treated Serena in the morning I really don't care that much because I am no longer his mentor." Diantha replies.

Serena and Grace however are beaming in marvel of Ash's battling skills as a trainer. Serena glances over at Palermo to see even her looking impressed.

 **(In the battlefield)**

Calem looks at Ash with pure hatred and frustration. Ash simply chuckles at Calem's sight taking pleasure by looking at his frustrated face.

Calem takes out a Poke ball and says "Absol you are up."

"Use quick attack Absol." Calem commands.

"Use protect Torterra." Ash responds

"Use feint to break through." Calem shouts as Ash's eyes widen in surprise.

Absol slams into Torterra and Torterra is pushed back.

"Counter with stone edge." Ash commands.

As pillars of stone appear on of them hits Absol and sends it flying.

"In that case try this on for size." Calem says while holding up a stone.

Ash recognizes it as one of the stone he saw in the gift he had gotten in the ceremony this morning. Then he sees a necklace around Absol as well.

"So Absol can mega evolve. This could be tricky. I must look out." Ash thinks to himself.

"Alright keystone respond to my heart. Absol mega evolve." Calem shouts as a blinding golden lights erupt from both the keystone and the mega stone.

As Absol is mega evolving suddenly Ash commands "Torterra use leech seed while it is evolving to ensure it can't dodge."

The moment Absol finishes it's mega evolution it winces in pain as leech seed starts to drain it's energy.

"Alright use razor leaf as we practiced." Ash says.

Suddenly a tornado of wind and razor leaf appears completely engulfing Torterra and hiding it from sight.

"Use quick attack along with psycho cut. Cut right through that wall of razor leaf. Once inside Torterra is defenseless. Then use willow wisp point blank range." Calem commands.

Mega Absol smashes it way through the tornado only to find Torterra not there.

"Where is it?" Calem says. Then he realizes Torterra is in the air in the remaining upper part of the wind-razor leaf tornado which is still intact.

"Absol get out of there. It's a trap. Torterra is above you." Calem shouts.

But before it can escape Torterra unleashes all the remaining razor leaves at Absol before starting to fall towards the ground.

Absol winces in pain.

"Now use the falling momentum to your advantage and finish it off with a body slam." Ash commands.

A huge explosion takes place to reveal Torterra alright and Absol on the ground with swirly eyes in it's original state.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Unbelievable!" all the elite four say at once. Serena , Diantha and all the other gym trainers all look with shock at what just happened.

"I think this kid actually has what is takes to rival us elite four in a battle." Wikstrom says.

"But how did he do that?" Serena asks.

"Well it's simple. My Gogoat uses razor leaf in the exact same way. The razor leaf first creates a tornado which if created properly has sufficient power to levitate the Pokemon who created it. If an opponent breaks through the tornado in a manner like Calem did. Then the upper part of the tornado being alright sends all razor leaf at the confused opponent standing vertically below it. The razor leaves not only cause damage but keep the target pinned to the same location while the Pokemon who is falling down can deliver another attack. It is an easy but very difficult to execute because if there is even the slightest amount of flaw in the creation of the tornado then the tornado will collapse on itself and the Pokemon will slam into the ground taking damage." Ramos replies.

"Well this battle is already over. If he can deal with a mega evolved Pokemon without even giving an opening to counter attack a legendary will be no problem while he still has 5 of other Pokemon left." Sycamore says.

 **(On the battlefield)**

Calem pulled out his last Poke ball with his hands trembling.

"Darkrai. Fight for me." Calem shout mustering all of his strength while tossing the Poke ball.

Ash looks at Darkrai for a minute then commands "Use frenzy plant as a diversion then land a leech seed."

"Dodge it." Calem commands as Darkrai dodges all the Frenzy plant. Suddenly it winces in pain as the leech seed shocks it.

"Oh no." Calem shouts.

"Alright Torterra return." Ash says while returning Torterra to it's Poke ball.

"Return?" Calem says in bewilderment.

"Froakie I need your assistance." Ash says while releasing Froakie.

Calem is shocked at Ash's choice.

 **( In the VIP Box )**

"This is weird. Why switch out a high level Pokemon like Torterra and use a low level Pokemon like Froakie against a legendary like Darkrai." Malva says.

"Yes. That is true. Torterra had already taken out 5 Pokemon so it was tired. Switching it out makes sense. But why use a Froakie." Drasna says.

"Well we will just have to wait and see." Diantha says with a smile.

 **( On the Battlefield )**

"You must be joking. You think your Froakie can stand against my Darkrai." Calem sneered.

"Look who is talking. The man who couldn't even take out one of my Pokemon while he has lost five." Ash replies with sneer.

"You will regret saying that pal. Darkrai use Ice beam." Calem commanded.

"Froakie. Dodge them all. Then attack with a combination of double team and water pulse." Ash commands

Froakie dodges them all. Suddenly at least 3 dozen copies of Froakie appear on the battlefield.

"Alright in that case. Darkrai dodge those water pulses and use a shadow ball barrage to mow them all down."

"Froakie use quick attack to dodge the shadow balls."

However Froakie gets hit and is sent flying into the air.

"Alright Darkrai. Finish it off with Dream Eater."

"Froakie stay right there. Use a water pulse and send it straight up." Ash commands.

Froakie looks at Ash confused but decides to trust its trainer and sends the water pulse straight up.

The dream eater hits and Froakie starts collapsing on the ground. Calem sneers at Froakies sight. Suddenly the water pulse which was going up reaches it's maximum height and falls right back onto Froakie creating an explosion. Calem looks in shock to see Froakie completely fine.

 **(In the stands)**

"Did he have Froakie use water pulse on itself to neutralize Dream Eater?" Diantha says in surprise.

"Typical Ash battling strategy." Oak says while chuckling to himself.

"Amazing. Just amazing." Seibold replies.

 **(In the battlefield)**

Calem looks in disbelief seeing his dream eater defeated. By now that leech seed has sucked out a lot of Darkrai's power.

"Alright Froakie now finish this by using water pulse from point blank range." Ash commands.

As the water pulse collides with Darkrai an explosion occurs revealing a defeated Darkrai. The crowd erupts with cheer as Froakie jumps back to Ash.

"So Froakie was that good training for you. I thought a substandard trainer with a legendary would prove good for exercise." Ash asks Froakie while ensuring no one apart from Calem hears this.

Calem gets incensed on hearing this and shouts "So you used Froakie against my Darkrai just for the purpose of providing it with training?"

"Of course. Nothing like a legendary to improve my Pokemon's battling style and abilities by providing it with and before I forget. Serena is my girlfriend. So if this match is any lesson to you stay away from her." Ash says while returning Froakie to its Poke ball.

Ash smirks, turns around and starts walking away.

Calem gets infuriated and throws a Poke ball. It reveals a Salamence.

"Nobody uses me like that. Salamence use flamethrower." Calem commands as Salamence releases a flamethrower hurtling towards Ash.

Ash turns around in surprise to see a flamethrower about to hit him. He dodges it but his Poke balls fall on the ground and roll away from him.  
"Hyper Beam" Calem shouts.

Ash puts his hands above him to shield himself from the incoming blast when suddenly he hears a voice shouting "Moon blast."

Both beams meet just in front of Ash causing an explosion sending Ash flying. While Ash is hurt he gets up only to see Diantha along with her Gardevoir standing in between him and Calem.

"Just what do you think you are doing? Have you lost your mind?" Diantha shouts at Calem in front of the entire shocked stadium. Suddenly Serena and Grace come running along with all the other professors. Soon Gary, Paul, Brock and all the other join as well.

"I am alright." Ash says while hugging Serena to ensure she does not cry.

"Despicable behavior. I must say. First you insult and abuse the Kalos Queen and her mother now you attack another student in front of all the student, teachers and other people. How dare you." Sycamore shouts at the top of his voice.

"Indeed. I don't think suspension will be a sufficient punishment for this behavior. Why he could come back and attack Ash without warning again." Oak says.

"You don't need to tell me that professor. Attacking another human being with a Pokemon is a criminal offence. Officer Jenny please escort him of the premises and press all possible charges." Diantha replies sternly.

"I am sorry. Please don't do that. I swear I just lost control of my emotions. He baited me into attacking by calling me substandard." Calem pleads.

"Rubbish. Even if you were telling the truth there is nothing wrong with that statement. You couldn't even defeat one of his Pokemon. That is the definition of being substandard. Anyway that is irrelevant. You have brought shame to this institution and this can't be tolerated." Diantha says coldly.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

"We come to the end of today's event. We are extremely sorry for the little mishap you all had to see. But on a more cheerful note we have a special announcement to make. Ash Ketchum will you please come on stage." Diantha speaks into the microphone.

Ash comes onto stage slightly confused.

"You have displayed immense aptitude for battling. Your courage, determination and strategizing skills are worthy of exceptional praise. By a unanimous decision by me, the elite four and all the professors we have decided that you shall take Calem's place as champion of KIP school. Do you accept?" Diantha asked Ash.

Ash is visibly shaken for a while. He looks around in confusion till he sees Serena who nods her head with a bright smile and pink cheeks. Ash looks back at Diantha and says "I accept."

Everyone starts cheering their new champion. Diantha once again calms down the crowd and resumes speaking.

"Tomorrow Ash will be abducted into the KIP hall of fame. Also we had a surprise planned out for whoever won the match. So Ash are you interested in knowing what the surprise is?

"U mm. Sure I guess." Ash replies.

"Tomorrow, Ash you will get the chance to battle one of my elite four. If you win in the battle then you will get a special reward." Diantha says before pausing for a moment.

"The reward will be that should you win against that particular elite four tomorrow then you will not have to face that particular elite four in the event you win the Kalos League ,which will take place in four months time, and intend to challenge me for the position of the Champion of Kalos." Diantha says.

"OK then who will I battle tomorrow?" Ash asks Diantha.

"You will get to choose tomorrow." Diantha says before turning to the crowd.

"Alright everyone that's it for today. See you tomorrow morning for the battle. Get a good night's rest." Diantha says before walking away along with her elite four.


	10. Confessions

**( In the food court )**

"A toast. To the new champion of the school." Grace says while raising her glass of champagne.

"Hear Hear." Brock says while everyone raise their glasses and cheer for Ash as well.

"Thank You. It was nothing." Ash says while blushing uncontrollably.

"Don't say it was nothing Ashy Boy. Paul and I have been trying to win against him for almost an year now. Till now we couldn't. Now suddenly you come and make him look like a third class trainer." Gary says while giving Ash a hard pat on the back.

"I must say I was impressed by the way you used that razor leaf with Torterra to defeat his mega evolved Absol." Paul says in a quiet tone.

"And the best part is that you also got that smart smug son of a b***h thrown out of the school." Gary replies while laughing.

Everyone cheers again for a second time including Grace.

"Indeed young man that was quite the Performance."

Everyone looks in the direction of the voice to see Palermo standing there with a smile.

"Oh. Thanks I guess. But I am sorry I don't know who you are." Ash says in an apologetic manner.

"Ash this is Palermo. She is my mentor and guide." Serena replies while smiling.

"Oh. I see. So she is the reason behind you becoming Kalos Queen. It is a pleasure to meet you ma'am." Ash says while shaking Palermo's hand. "Please forgive me for not recognizing you ma'am." Ash says while bowing his head.

"A gifted trainer and a gentleman. My my Serena. You must be the luckiest Kalos Queen in the history of Pokemon Performing." Palermo says while smiling.

Serena and Ash instantly blush. May and Dawn on the other hand fume in silence while clenching their fists.

"Well I must get going. I have other matters to attend to. I will see you tomorrow Serena." Palermo says while waving everyone goodbye.

"Well we should go out and celebrate Ash's becoming of champion." Brock says.

"An excellent idea Brock." Grace replies.

"We will celebrate but not today." Ash says quietly.

Everyone stares at him in silence. Serena finally breaks her silence and responds "Ash. But why. You don't want to celebrate you win with your friends and me?"

"Of course I do Serena but I will celebrate when I beat the elite four member tomorrow." Ash says while making a fist.

Everyone's eyes widen.

"I promise you. Regardless of what happens tomorrow. Win or lose. We will celebrate tomorrow. But today I need to go back and prepare for my match tomorrow because that will not be a walk in the park. Besides I feel kinda tired as well." Ash says.

"Oh sure Ash. That is alright. We will see you tomorrow and we will be rooting for you." May replies with a wink.

"Thanks May. You guys are the best. See you guys tomorrow." Ash says while getting up.

"I guess we should call it a day as well Serena dear." Grace says while getting up to follow Ash.

"Yup. It was nice to meet all of you." Serena says while getting up to.

After all 3 of them have left only Brock, May, Paul, Gary, Dawn, Clemont and Bonnie are left in the dining hall. After 10 minutes of silence Paul speaks up.

"Did you guys notice the change in Ash's behavior?" Paul says with a curious tone.

"I did." Brock replies. "He is no longer the rash and unpredictable Ash we used to know. He is more calm and focused. Even during the battle I saw. He did not get excited over his small individual victories and focused on the win till the very end without losing his composure."

"Yup. That is bugging me too." Gary says. "Don't get me wrong guys. I am not saying that he has changed for worst or anything but when I saw him on TV in the Unovo league quarterfinals. He was the old Ash which we all knew full of enthusiasm and optimism. Now within a matter of weeks he has changed completely. More mature. More respectful. Most importantly since when did he start refusing celebrations. What happened? He is like a complete new person."

"Not to mention. He has even started blushing. Did you guys see how he instinctively took Serena into a hug when Diantha intervened when Calem's Salamence tried to attack Ash. He never did any of those things with me." Dawn says with a sigh.

"I wish I were in Serena's place." May says.

"Fat chance. You and Ash." Dawn snaps back.

"Look who is talking. Ash is mine so back off." May says aggressively.

"Here we go again." Paul, Gary and Brock say with a sigh as May and Dawn start fighting like a pair of Meowths.

 **( Back in the apartment )**

"Alright. Ash here we are. I will leave you. Best of luck in your preparation." Grace says while walking away.

"Thanks Grace." Ash says as he unlocks the door of the apartment.

Serena and Ash enter the apartment. Ash suddenly say "Oh Serena. I need to ask your mom something. I will be right back."

Serena nods and enters the apartment while Ash runs after Grace.

Suddenly he shouts "Grace. Wait I need to ask you something?"

"What?" Grace says while turning around in surprise.

Ash runs up to her and questions "Who do you think is the strongest in the Elite Four and who do you think is the weakest?"

Grace looks at him with a puzzled expression and says "Ash. I am no expert in Pokemon battling. I don't think my opinion will be of much help. You should get someone else's opinion."

"I know but I am still asking you. Who in your opinion is the strongest and who is the weakest."

"Alright if you insist. But give me a moment to think."

"Sure no problem. Take all the time you need."

Grace closes her eyes and stands in silence. Finally she opens her eyes and breaks the silence.

"Well now that I come to think of it in my opinion I have always found Wikstrom and his steel types to be the weakest in the elite four." Grace says "As for the strongest that is a hard one. Drasna is a dragon master. Malva's fire types pack a punch as well. Seibold's Blastoise is tough too."

"If you had to pick one in the three."

"As the toughest I would pick Seibold. 2 years ago when he challenged Diantha for her place as the champion he came the closest anyone has come in the elite four to beating her. Had it not been for a lucky shadow ball which found it's mark Diantha might've lost the battle."

"Thanks Grace. You are the best." Ash says while suddenly hugging Grace.

Grace is taken aback. But then she reciprocates the hug and asks him "Ash is something bothering you?" with a concerned tone.

"If I said no I would be lying." Ash replies.

"What is the matter dear. Is it Serena? Did she do something?" Grace asks with concern.

"No no. Actually your daughter is the best thing that has happened to me since the Unovo league." Ash says.

Grace smiles and tells him "You are also the best thing that happened to my daughter. Now you go and enjoy yourself with her. OK. Whatever problems you are having we will discuss it after tomorrows battle. Whatever happens Serena and I will be there to support you. Go for broke." Grace says with a smile before leaving.

 **( In the food court )**

"Enough." Paul says in a loud and annoyed tone to make both girls stop fighting. Then he turns to the guys and says

"Should we investigate this sudden change in behavior. If something is bothering him then we should help him out we are his friends after all."

"I agree but let us not make hasty decisions. We will be interfering in his private affairs in a way. We don't want him to feel hurt as well." Brock replies.

"I propose we observe him for a week or 2 before taking any decision. I think we should head back as well." Gary says while standing up.

Everyone nods and leaves for their dormitories.

 **( Back in the apartment )**

"Serena may I borrow your Poke-pad for a couple of hours?" Ash says while coming into the bedroom.

"Sure. Here you go." Serena says while handing the Poke-pad over to him.

"Thanks."

"Need anything else?" Serena says.

"A little peace and quiet will be nice. It would be great if you could watch over Pikachu and the others for me. Also can you order some spaghetti with meatballs for me when dinner time comes." Ash says.

"Of course. No problem." Serena replies with a wink.

Ash smiles and locks himself in his own bedroom.

 **( 2 hours Later )**

"Ash your ordered dinner is here." Serena says in a loud voice.

"Thanks." Ash says while coming out of the room. He quickly starts eating.

"Slow down Ash. The food isn't going anywhere." Serena says as she eats her Seafood Lasagna.

"So you mind telling me what have you been doing for the past 2 hours." Serena says while taking a sip of her lemonade.

"Research. If I need to win against Seibold tomorrow I need to know what Pokemon he has along with his tactics and combinations." Ash replies without acknowledging her.

"Sound like a tedious job. Need any help?"

"No all I need is to be left alone." Ash almost snaps at Serena.

Serena get's shocked to see Ash behave in this way.

"I am sorry. I just got a little irritated without good reason." Ash apologizes.

"Compared to Calem that was a breeze in front of a hurricane." Serena says sweetly.

Ash smiles for a second then again goes back to the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Serena gets suspicious and a little worried.

'Why is Ash behaving like this? Does he not care for me anymore? Well that can't be true. But then he met May and Dawn again so his mind changed. No stupid Ash chose you over them remember.' Serena groans in annoyance as all these weird thoughts come pouring into her head. She decides to call up the only person she can rely on for advice. Her mom.

Serena walks into her own bedroom. Locks the door and dials Grace's number.

"Hey mom it's me Serena." Serena says with Grace on the phone.

"Hey Serena why are you calling me around dinner time?" Grace asks.

"I guess it's nothing. But something is up with Ash. He isn't himself." Serena says.

"Alright what happened?" Grace says.

After a few minutes Grace says "I see what you mean. While I don't know what is happening with Ash right now but I do know that he is going through some personal issue."

"What do you mean?" Serena says.

"I will tell you." Grace says.

Serena hears Grace in pin drop silence while Grace narrates what happened with Ash after he had caught up with her.

"You should talk to him Serena?" Grace says.

"I will. Bye mom." replies Serena.

"Bye dear." Grace says while disconnecting the call.

 **(10 minutes later)**

Serena knocks at Ash's door. She keeps knocking till he opens the door.

"What happened?" Ash replies in annoyed and bored manner.

"We need to have a talk." Serena says quite sternly as she pushes Ash aside to enter his room.

"What happened? Something wrong?" Ash says in a milder tone upon seeing Serena's expression as quite stern.

"Yes. Something is wrong. You need to tell me what is bothering you right now." Serena says while sitting on the bed.

"I am fine. Nothing is wrong with me." Ash says.

"I see. So it seems you trust your girlfriend's mother more than her when it comes to private problems. Furthermore you don't even feel uncomfortable before lying to her face." Serena says in a raised yet not angry voice.

"It's not that. This is something I need to deal with on my own." Ash replies this time with a raised tone as well.

"That is not an acceptable answer. Tell me what is going on right now or I will get very upset." Serena says in a loud yet unhappy tone.

Ash looks at Serena's face. He sees tears starting to form in her eyes.

'Crap I can't see Serena cry. I guess there is no getting around it. I will have to tell her.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Fine you win. But can I please have that one of those lovely macaroons you make before telling you." Ash replies with a sigh.

"Alright then let us go out in the living room. We will sit on the dining table and talk." Serena says.

 **( 5 minutes later )**

"Serena do you remember my dad?" Ash says looking at her.

"No I don't. Why what happened." Serena says.

"Well I do. Actually I only remember seeing his face once. Once when he came to the house and my mom turned him away." Ash says.

"OK. But what has your father got to do with all this?" Serena says.

"After I got eliminated in the quarterfinals in the Unovo league before I went back to pallet town I was still exploring Unovo with Iris and Cilan. Suddenly one morning a Staravia came out of nowhere and dropped a letter into my lap. First I was confused as to where this Staravia had come from. Then I opened the letter inside it. the letter was from my dad." Ash says as he shuddered.

Serena seeing Ash's condition comes and sits on the next chair and hold his hand with her own.

"Go on." Serena says in a soft and soothing voice.

"In the letter my dad expressed how sorry he was for not being a part of my life. He said that he had followed everyone of my league battles and said that to see me on the stage filled him with pride. He also told me about where I had gone wrong in which league, the mistakes I had made and how should I change my battling style. What other moves my Pokemon could have incorporated etc." Ash said before pausing for a moment.

"But that is good Ash. Why are you upset about it." Serena says.

"I haven't finished yet." Ash says while taking deep and lasting breaths as if to reinforce himself. Then he continued.

"Then he expressed how sorry he is because now even if he wanted to he couldn't be a part of my life. He also in his letter made me promise to take care of my Pokemon and my loved ones." Ash said quietly.

"Why did he say that?" Serena asks.

"Because he wrote in the letter that by the time this letter got to me he would most likely be dead." Ash said while bursting into tears and burying his crying face in Serena's chest while pulling her in a bone crushing hug.

Serena was shocked at this revelation. Tears formed in her eyes. She cried a little and then rested her face on Ash's crying face while pulling him into a warm comforting hug.

"Oh Ash I am so sorry. I can totally understand what you feel like. I felt the same way when my father died." Serena says while attempting to comfort him.

 **(20 minutes later)**

"Thanks Serena. I guess I could deal with this on my own but now I know I needed to get it off my chest." Ash says in a much more calm yet sad tone.

"Anything. I can do to make you feel better?" Serena says.

"No. Nothing I guess." Ash says in disappointment.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Serena says before she leans in and kisses Ash on the lips.

Ash instantly reciprocates and swings her arms around her neck while deepening the kiss. After a while they separate for air.

"Are you sure there is nothing I can do to make you feel better." Serena says while smiling mischievously.

"Now that you mention it, I guess I will have to make do with what I have got." Ash says quickly before pulling Serena closer.

Serena giggles before kissing him again.

"Ash it is getting late. Let us move to the bedroom atleast." Serena says after a while.

"As you wish. But I am not stopping kissing you." Ash says while lifting Serena up in his arms and carrying her to the bedroom, kissing her all the way.

 **( Meanwhile in Lumiose City Police Station )**

"Calem Xavier. You have been released on bail." Officer Jenny says while opening the door of his cell.

Calem calmly walks out of his cell and finishes all the formalities of the bail.

Then he walks out of the police building and climbs into the limousine which is waiting for him.

"How are you son? Are you alright?"

"Thanks dad. I am fine. Would feel better if I could get my hands on that Ketchup and the pathetic Kalos Queen" Calem replies while grinding his teeth in frustration.

"Don't worry. Revenge shall be ours. We just need to wait for the right moment to strike."


	11. A Watery Showdown Part - I

**( Next Morning )**

Serena wakes up and stretches her arms while yawning. She then smiles and turns to face Ash. However Ash is not there to her surprise.

'Where did he go?' Serena thinks to herself while getting out of bed. She puts on her slippers and goes out of the bedroom.

"Ash where are you?" Serena calls out but no response comes.

"Braixen Braix" Braixen says.

"Oh good morning to you Braixen." Serena says while petting her evolved starter Pokemon.

"Do you know where Ash is?" Serena asks Braixen.

"Braixen" Braixen says while nodding.

"Alright lead the way." Serena says.

Braixen leads Serena out of the building to a clearing next to the lake in the campus of KIP. There Serena sees Ash training with Pikachu, Charizard, Torterra and some other Pokemon she doesn't recognize.

Serena walks over towards them. Suddenly out of nowhere a Noctowl comes and sits on her shoulder making her jump. After a while she calms down and realizes that Noctowl is only displaying it's affection. She pets Noctowl and laughs.

"That's no small feat getting Noctowl to get so comfortable with you Serena" Ash says while walking towards her.

"Hi Ash. I see you left early to train for your match. I am sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." Serena quickly says.

"How can you ever be a hindrance Serena?" Ash says while gulping down water from his water bottle.

Serena looks at his toned body and biceps. She starts to blush uncontrollably at his sweaty smoking hot body and gets lost in her thoughts.

"Now that I think of it you haven't met my Pokemon. Have you?" Ash says while jerking Serena back into reality.

"No. I haven't as a matter of fact." Serena says while walking towards Ash.

Ash takes Serena by his hand and says "Hey guys this is Serena. She is my girlfriend."

Charizard grins at Ash and lets loose a flamethrower at his head.

"Thought that might happen." Ash said while falling on the floor with a soot covered face and swirly eyes.

Serena looks in shock as Ash gets up and walks over to Charizard and hugs him.

"Oh don't worry Serena. That is my Charizard's way of showing affection. Come here. Don't be afraid. He might look intimidating but he is quite gentle."

Serena comes and pets Charizard. Charizard blushes while Serena smiles at him and immediately starts to tickle her by licking her face. Ash's jaw drops as all his Pokemon lick and tickle Serena while Serena laughs uncontrollably telling them to stop.

'Amazing. I have been with them longer than anyone but I guess nothing like a pretty lady to make them all forget that.' Ash thinks to himself.

"All right that is enough. The only one who gets to tickle Serena like that is me." Ash says while recalling everyone to their Poke balls.

"Ash what did you say just now?" Serena says while smirking.

"U mm. I guess that came out in an untimely manner." Ash says while nervously scratching the back of his head.

"Well I guess in a way that is right." Serena say while hugging Ash in a seductive tone.

Ash gulps and starts blushing uncontrollably.

"So do you want to tickle me like that?" Serena whispers into Ash's ear.

She winks at Ash's face while smiling in a seductive way. Ash by now is red as a tomato berry.

"Well I will grant you your wish tonight. That is if you win today. Now let us go back to the apartment." Serena says softly while dragging the still blushing and dazed Ash by his hand.

 **(2 hours later in the KIP Stadium)**

"Alright welcome everyone to a brand new day at KIP. Now today the battle between one of my elite four and the school Champion will take place. So KIP are you ready." Diantha shouts in the microphone only to be greeted by a huge amount of applause and whistling.

"Alright without further ado. Ash Ketchum please come on the stage and choose your opponent." Diantha says.

Ash walks onto the stage and greets Diantha and the elite four.

"So Ash. Are you all set for your battle?" Diantha asks.

Ash replies by giving her a thumbs up.

"Marvelous. Now choose your opponent." Diantha says while gesturing towards them.

Ash calmly walks up to Seibold and says "I challenge you Seibold."

Seibold smiles and says "I look forward to it." while shaking Ash's hand.

Ash and Seibold move towards the battlefield while Diantha and the others move towards the VIP box. When Ash is about to reach the battlefield he spots Serena waiting for him. He looks at Seibold. Seibold nods while walking away.

Ash turns to Serena and says "What are you doing here? My match is about to start."

"I know I just came to give you a good luck kiss before you started battling." Serena says as she gives him a kiss.

"Thanks. But when I win you owe me much more than a kiss tonight remember." Ash says while smirking.

Serena gets confused for a moment. Then she remembers what happened 2 hours ago and she says "Deal." before walking of.

 **(10 minutes)**

"Alright you two listen up. This will be a 4 on 4 battle. No substitutions allowed once the battle commences. The battle will not be over till either side has 4 Pokemon unable to battle." the referee says.

Both Ash and Seibold nod.

"Alright then both competitors bring out your first Pokemon."

"Come out my friend." Seibold shouts as he throws his Poke ball revealing a Blastoise with a stone band attached to it's head.

"Charizard I need your help." Ash shouts as he tosses his Poke ball.

Suddenly a large fire tornado appears which subsides to reveals a ferocious Charizard which starts roaring and shooting out random flamethrowers.

"Enough."Ash says firmly at which Charizard calms down and stares ferociously at Blastoise.

"Before we begin. I have 2 questions I would like to ask you young man." Seibold says.

"Go ahead." Ash replies.

"My first question do you consider Pokemon battling an art?" Seibold says.

"I prefer to let my actions speak for me. Why don't you decide what my philosophy about battling is after we have finished battling." Ash replies.

"Very well. Now my second question. Are you really going to use a fire type against my water type Blastoise?" Seibold says.

"Well my Charizard has already beaten one Blastoise before. You know what they say don't you. The second time is the charm." Ash replies with a cool tone.

"Very well. Let us begin you may have the first move young man." Seibold says while politely gesturing.

 **(In the VIP box)**

Serena enters and sits on the seat Grace has reserved for her. She thanks Grace and turns towards the battlefield.

"I think he is making a big mistake using a fire type like Charizard vs a water type like Blastoise. Not to mention Blastoise can mega evolve." Sycamore says.

"Maybe. But this is Ash we are talking about. Perhaps he chose Charizard with a particular strategy in mind." Malva says.

"Well we just have to wait and see." Diantha says.

Serena crosses her fingers and looks out while thinking 'Come on Ash. If there is anyone who can beat Seibold in the school it is you.'

 **(In the stands)**

"I think Ashy boy has made a grave mistake. Using a Pokemon with a type disadvantage against an elite four is nuts." Gary says.

"Maybe he has a strategy. However you do have a point. I would have chosen someone like Pikachu or Torterra for this match. Preferably Torterra since I own one." Paul says.

"Oh Ash. Please pull through." Dawn and May say with their eyes closed.

"Whatever the outcome. This will be one hell of a match." Brock says.

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

"Alright Charizard. We need to see at what level the elite four are. Let's test their mettle. Flamethrower now."

Charizard complies and releases a flamethrower.

"Counter with Hydro Pump." Seibold says.

Both attacks meet in mid air. It seems like a tie.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Wow. I didn't think that Ash will have a Pokemon with a type disadvantage that can match Seibold's Blastoise's Hydro Pump head on." Wulfric says.

"You are right. But I don't think it will stay that way for long. Ash's Charizard is exceptionally strong. It has been training nonstop in the Charicific valley. It is not even using it's flamethrower at half of its strength." Oak replies chuckle keeping his hands folded.

"Maybe. But I don't think Seibold's Blastoise is using it's Hydro Pump at full strength either." Diantha replies with a proud smile.

"Well we will just have wait to see who comes out on top in this confrontation." Wikstrom says.

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

"Now Charizard use flamethrower at full strength" Ash says.

"We will do the same as well." Seibold replies.

Still the result is the same.

"Well your Blastoise is very strong Seibold." Ash says.

"Thank you Ash. I can say the same for your Charizard."

"Thank you. However this still isn't my Charizard's full power." Ash replies with a smirk "Charizard give it everything you have got."

Seibold gets shocked as he see the Flamethrower slowly overpowering the Hydro pump before completely overpowering it.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"No way." Diantha says as she sees Blastoise being slammed into the field while being covered in fire.

"Alright way to go Ash." Serena shouts in excitement.

Grace claps as well.

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

After the flamethrower subsides Blastoise stands up with some smoke coming from his body.

"Fire types maybe weak against water types but that doesn't mean they can't cause damage." Ash replies with a serious tone.

"Well young man. You have caught my attention. Your Charizard maybe a little stronger than my Blastoise. However after such a fiery appetizer we need to come to the main course." Seibold says while holding a pendant around his neck.

"Alright. Blastoise now mega evolve." Seibold shouts.

Golden lights emerge from the keystone and mega stone and after a while mega Blastoise stands in front of Charizard with 1 cannons around every arm and one main cannon on it's back.

"Now let us see you match this. Hydro pump." Seibold commands.

"Fire Spin at full power Charizard." Ash counters.

The Hydro pump cuts through the fire spin and Charizard is sent flying into the battlefield.

Ash raises his eyebrows. 'So this is the power of mega evolution and mega launcher ability. I can't face that power head on.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Now Charizard spread your wings and take to the air."

Charizard suddenly shoots up vertically into the sky and gives another roar as if nothing had happened to it.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"What speed. How can Pokemon that large have this much speed?" Malva says.

"This is all due to Charizard's training in the Charicific valley." Oak replies.

"It may be speedy however it would seem that the tables have turned Professor when it comes to power." Diantha replies.

"Perhaps. But just because Seibold is using Mega-Evolution doesn't mean he will win." Oak replies.

"We shall see." Diantha replies.

Serena on the other hands is shaking with nervousness. But she calms herself down.

"Ash has got this." she says firmly.

"My my. You do have a lot of faith in him." Diantha says.

"Of course. I do. Never give up till the end. That is what I have learnt from him." Serena says with a fierceness in her voice.

Diantha smiles and then turns her attention to the battlefield.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Don't let it get away. Use hydro pump barrage." Seibold shouts.

"Dodge them all. Then use Dragon Dance." Ash commands.

Charizard swiftly dodges all the water attacks and starts dancing.

"Very well why don't you try this on for size. Use Dragon Pulse." Seibold orders.

"Dodge it and keep using Dragon dance." Ash cries.

Charizard barely manages to dodge the dragon pulse.

"What's the deal. You can't win if you don't attack back. Come fight me Pokemon to Pokemon" Seibold says.

Ash calmly looks at Seibold. Then he says "Fine. Your wish is granted. Charizard use wing attack and Dragon Claw. Let us see if this Blastoise has what it takes to fight us without hydro pump or dragon pulse."

Charizard uses Dragon Claw then rushes at Blastoise with wing attack.

"A power play. Very well we shall oblige. Use skull bash." Seibold commands.

Blastoise starts moving towards Charizard at great speed with skull bash.

Suddenly Ash smirks for this is the moment he has been waiting for. Just before Charizard and Blastoise are about to collide he yells "Switch to aerial ace and then use Thunder punch both hands."

Seibold's expression turns from smiling to horror as he realizes he has played into Ash's hands and yells "Blastoise stop."

But it is too late. Charizard disappears for a moment. Then it appears behind Blastoise with 2 fists coursing with electricity. Before Blastoise can do anything it delivers 5 thunder punches in quick succession to Blastoise's body.

"Deliver the last one to his head. Then use Will-o-wisp point blank range. Then move away to a safe distance." Ash yells.

"Don't let him do that Blastoise use hydro pump." Seibold shouts in desperation.

Blastoise tries to use hydro pump but it is temporarily paralyzed from the 5 thunder punches.

After a while Charizard is flying in the air with Mega Blastoise standing on the ground panting with sparks emerging from it's body.

"Now keep using Dragon Dance." Ash commands.

A lot of Ohs and Aahs echo throughout the stadium.

 **(In the VIP box)**

"Impossible!" All the remaining elite four, professors and Diantha shout in disbelief.

Professor Oak and Grace smile in happiness. Serena is ecstatic as she jumps in the air and starts cheering for Ash.

A few moments later Clement speaks up "So that was Ash's plan all along. Ingenious. He kept on using Dragon dance to increase Charizard's speed so that it could keep dodging all those long range attacks of Blastoise and raise it's attack power for the perfect counter attack. He waited for the precise moment when Seibold would use skull bash. Then he used aerial ace and Charizard's increased speed to come up behind Blastoise where it could not attack to deliver a counter attack."

"Not only that Clement. He also kept thunder punch an electric type move which is very effective against a water type like Blastoise under wraps the whole time as his ace. He patiently waited till Seibold would drop his guard and then dealt critical damage to Blastoise with those thunder punches." Professor Rowan replies.

"But why use Will-O-Wisp professor? That doesn't make sense." Clement asks.

"Even I am confused? We shall have to see." Sycamore replies.

"I know why." Oak says as everyone looks at him.

"Since the beginning of this match Ash has been playing it like a chess match. Ash purposely allowed Charizard to take that Hydro Pump attack from Seibold's mega evolved Blastoise to accomplish 2 things. First to get a measure of how strong mega Blastoise was? Second to give Seibold a boost of confidence in order for him to drop his guard more easily. When Ash realized that due to type advantage, mega evolution and mega launcher ability Blastoise was far superior than Charizard in terms of strength he knew he could not fight Blastoise head on. That is why he used Will-O-Wisp. It may be the weakest of fire type moves but it causes damage over time. Ash plans to keep using Dragon dance to keep his speed up in order to keep evading Blastoise's long range attacks. Even though Blastoise is still the stronger one in the two that will-o-wisp will keep causing damage over time. So if Ash manages to drag the battle out long enough eventually the situation will tilt in his favor. He just needs to survive till that moment. Not to mention those temporary bouts of paralysis from the 6 thunder punches will also have an effect."

"I think you are right. Seibold made his strategy to defeat Ash based around him facing an opponent with type advantage like Torterra or Pikachu. But Ash deliberately used a Pokemon with a type disadvantage to make him over confident and drop his guard. I hate to admit it but Seibold may be in trouble." Diantha says.

"However. With all that evading Charizard will get tired out eventually. So if it takes some powerful hits eventually Charizard may end up losing as well." Malva says.

"True. But you know what they say Malva. No guts no glory." Wikstrom replies.

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

"I must say it has been 2 years since I had a challenge like this. You certainly caught me off guard there. But my pride as an elite four is on the line so I won't let you win without a fight. Now Blastoise use hydro pump barrage." Seibold commands.

"Dodge them all and keep on using Dragon Dance." Ash coolly commands.

"Well well. It would seem you keep to intend dodging my attacks in order to counter attack at the opportune time. But I won't let you do that again. Now Blastoise use Lock on." Seibold shouts.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Uh Ow. Ash may be in trouble." Oak suddenly says.

"Why professor?" Serena asks.

"Because when a Pokemon uses Lock-On the next attack is a guaranteed hit. No matter what the circumstances." Grace replies while looking worried.

"Ah ha! It would seem Seibold kept an ace up his sleeve as well. You don't become a member of elite four without being able to fight back." Diantha says with a sense of pride.

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

"Now Blastoise end this match. Use Dragon pulse Maximum Power."

"Charizard counter with your own Dragon Pulse." Ash shouted.

Both dragon pulses meet in the air but Charizard's Dragon pulse gets overpowered.

"Use your wings as a shield. Just like we practiced." Ash screams.

Just seconds before the Dragon Pulse is about to hit Charizard it envelopes itself with it's wings. An explosion occurs and a few moments later Charizard is seen falling to the ground.

"It seems I win this round." Seibold says while smirking. There are sounds of sighs in the stadium. Ash does not react at all. Seconds before Charizard is about to hit the ground he shouts "Now Charizard. Use Aerial Ace and thunder punch one more time."

Charizard suddenly opens it's eyes and spreads it wings. It shoots towards Blastoise at an incredibly high speed with 2 thunder punches as if nothing has happened at all.

"But how?" Seibold shouts as Blastoise is sent flying into the ground by the aerial ace thunder punch combo.

There is stunned silence in the stadium.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"How on the earth did Charizard survive that dragon pulse without taking damage?" Diantha shouts.

The rest of the people in the VIP box are too dumbstruck to say anything.

Oak is the first one to recover. He simply walks over to the computer to rewind the footage and see the collision of dragon pulse with Charizard in slow motion. They see mere seconds before the attack hits Charizard's wings start glowing white.

"I see. It used steel wing." Clement shouts.

"Of course now I see Ash's strategy. He had Charizard use dragon pulse to neutralize the excess power that Blastoise's dragon pulse had due to the mega evolution and mega launcher ability. Then seconds before it hit Charizard used a steel type move to withstand the remaining dragon pulse. Since steel types are effective at resisting Dragon type moves Charizard took as minimum damage as possible." Oak says.

"What about that free fall?" Bonnie asks.

"I think that was just a ruse to get Seibold to drop his guard again. And it worked because this time Charizard managed to get another attack on Blastoise without Seibold not be able to do anything. The gamble payed of it seems." Wulfric said.

"But he didn't give any command to use steel wing. So how did Charizard use that move?" Grace asked.

"You don't need to give Pokemon command verbally. There are other ways." Oak said.

"That explains it." Serena shouted.

"What explains it?" Diantha asks Serena.

"In the morning Ash left the apartment early for some training. When I went looking for him I saw him making Charizard free fall like that and suddenly recover just before hitting the ground. He planned it as a combination in advance. He knew Seibold had lock-on up his sleeve. He carefully studied Seibold and Diantha's match from 2 years ago where Seibold used Lock-on against Gardevoir last night."

Everyone gets shocked.

"Now I am really concerned. If this boy can corner Seibold like this why he can even try to take my title from me? I think it is time I also started to train." Diantha says while sitting down on her chair.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"Now don't let it breathe. Use fire spin with everything you have got." Ash commands.

"Use rapid spin to minimize the damage." Seibold yells in desperation.

Blastoise's shell spins rapidly minimizing the damage.

"In that case use dragon tail to smash that spinning shell on the ground." Ash roars.

Charizard's tail glows green and slams the rapid shell onto the ground.

"Now fly up and finish it off with blast burn." Ash shouts.

Charizard flies up and starting glowing red.

Suddenly Seibold shouts "Use Skull Bash."

"Oh no. Charizard dodge it." Ash shouts.

But it is too late. Blastoise smashes it's head into Charizard causing him to fall on the ground.

"Finish that Charizard off with Hydro pump." Seibold roars.

"Dragon pulse. Everything you have got." Ash roars

Both fire attacks at the same time. The attacks don't connect. Instead they just land on their intended targets. 2 huge explosions takes place.

There is stunned silence in the stadium. As the smoke clears Charizard is seen on it's knees while barely keeping itself from falling to the ground with it's hands. Blastoise is also barely able to stand but is standing nonetheless. It seems Blastoise has won the clash of moves.

Both Ash and Seibold are panting. Seibold smiles at Ash and says "I have truly enjoyed our battle but now it must come to an end. Blastoise finish it off with a final hydro pump."

Ash looks at his injured Charizard who can barely stand up. He knows if this attack hits it is lights out for Charizard. He just gulps as he sees the Hydro pump forming in Blastoise's cannons. To scared to see what will happen he shuts his eyes. He waits. He waits. But nothing happens. He slowly opens his eyes to see electricity sparkling from Blastoise's body.

'Of course. It must be a result of the Thunder punches Blastoise has taken.'

Suddenly Blastoise cries in agony as a small blue flame surrounds it and delivers a burn.

'Of course. That must have been the Will-O-Wisp's damage over time burn. How could I forget that.' Ash thinks to himself.

After that last burn Blastoise reverts to his original form and falls down on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Blastoise is unable to battle. Which means this battle goes to the KIP Champion Ash Ketchum." the referee says.

"I won?" Ash says to himself blankly. His expression changes to joy as he shouts "Alright we won."

The entire stadium bursts into applause and cheer. After all it's not everyday you see the school champion take out strongest Pokemon of one of the strongest elite four.

"We will now take a 15 minute break to repair the stadium." the referee says.

Both Ash and Seibold recall their Pokemon. Seibold walks over to Ash and extends his hand and says "Your batting style is unique and truly yours. I am glad to met and been battled by a worthy trainer." Ash smiles, takes his hand and shakes it.

"See you in 15 minutes." Ash says while turning around.

 **(In the stands)**

Gary, Paul, Brock, May and Dawn collapse on the floor on the stands and gasp for breath.

"Oh god. I hope I never see another battle like this. At this rate I will have a heart attack every time Ash battles." Dawn and May say together while getting up and collapsing on their seats.

"Same goes for us three." Gary replies with Paul and Brock also sweating like crazy.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Alright he won." Serena says while crying and hugging Grace. Even Grace has tears of joy in her eyes.

The professors and gym leaders also breathe easy after seeing the outcome of the match. They all are sweating like crazy.

Diantha and the other elite four look in awe of this young boy who has managed to win against an exceptionally strong mega evolved Pokemon using a Pokemon with type disadvantage.

"It seems using Will-O-Wisp was the right thing to do after all. That small damage over time made a difference at the end. Typical Ash battling style. To defeat opponents by using the smallest of details to his advantage." Oak says while smiling brightly.

Diantha looks on in a passive state. Her heart is racing like a bullet train. A part of her is proud of Ash and a part of her is concerned for her title as Champion.

"I hate to say it. But this battle may already be decided. Seibold always takes down at least 2-3 Pokemon with his Blastoise. But now that it is out. I think the rest will follow suit." Malva says.


	12. A Watery Showdown Part - II

**(In the Waiting Room - 1)**

"Ash you did it." Serena says while running into the waiting room.

Ash smiles at her and wraps his hands around her neck and shoulders.

"Well. I had to after all a lot is at stake here. I can't wait for us to get back to the apartment tonight." Ash says while smirking.

"Since you did so well here is a trailer for you." Serena says before kissing him.

"Good to see someone's enjoying themselves." Professor Oak says while coming into the room.

Ash and Serena separate and blush while scratching the back of their head in an embarrassed fashion.

Soon the other Professors, Gym Leaders and Grace walk into the room.

"That battle had heat." Wulfric says while putting on a broad smile.

"Indeed. Well done whippersnapper. Taking out Seibold's Blastoise is no small feat." Ramos replies with a smile.

"Thank you. But this is where the real fight begins." Ash says with a serious tone.

"I wouldn't worry too much Ash. You have taken out Seibold's ace and you have one more Pokemon than him. Honestly I thought you would battle Wikstrom and his steel types after yesterday's conversation." Grace says.

"Well I thought about doing that first. But then I realized if I could beat the strongest elite four here. Then my Pokemon would take less damage when the time comes for facing Diantha." Ash replies.

"I see so you intend on becoming the Champion of the Kalos region." Olympia says

"Yes. Of course. No matter what happens I never give up till the very end." Ash replies while making determined fist.

 **(Meanwhile in Waiting room - 2)**

"My. My. The mighty Seibold with his mega evolved Blastoise which usually takes out at least 2-3 of the opposition's Pokemon brought down by a fire type without Mega evolution. How ironic." Malva says in a sarcastic tone.

"That kid is the real deal Malva. If he managed to take my Blastoise out like that then he would have no trouble wiping the floor with your Houndoom." Seibold snaps back.

"At least I don't make amateurish mistakes and underestimate a kid." Malva coolly replies.

"I hate to say this Seibold but Malva does have a point." Diantha replies.

"Do you think I don't know that Diantha? I made my strategy to beat this kid based around me facing of against an electric type or grass type for my Blastoise. He deliberately used a Pokemon with a type disadvantage to throw me of my game and have me drop my guard." Seibold says in a disappointed tone.

Suddenly the bell rings indicating that field has been repaired. Seibold stands up to leave. Before going out he turns to Diantha and says "This kid is the real deal. If I lose today you better be prepared for when he comes for your title."

 **(In the battlefield)**

"Alright young man. You managed to beat me by exploiting my over confidence and as a result I have lost my ace. Now that won't happen this time. Alright go now Gyrados." Seibold said while tossing his Poke ball.

"In that case. Pikachu stand by for battle." Ash says as Pikachu leaps onto the battlefield ready to battle with sparks emitting from his cheeks.

"Alright. Battle begin." Referee shouts.

 **(In the VIP box)**

"An electric type. Looks like Ash is going by the book this time." Clement says.

"Yes. He should. Now that Seibold is going to be on his guard the battle will get more intense from here on." Oak says.

"Looks like we are in for an entertaining fight alright." Diantha replies.

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt." Ash commands.

"Block with dragon breath." Seibold counters.

Both attacks collide in the air. The result is a tie.

"Alright Gyrados use Hyper beam." Seibold commands.

"Use quick attack to evade and dodge." Ash shouts.

Pikachu avoids the attack and slams into Gyrados. Gyrados gets pushed back.

'Whoa! Speedy. That's one well trained Pikachu. I should keep my guard up.' Seibold thinks to himself.

"Gyrados use Dragon Dance then use bite attack." Seibold orders.

"I see. So you are using my strategy in the previous round to boost up your speed and power so you can match up to my Pikachu's speed and type advantage. Not bad." Ash calmly says.

"Well now that I am. What are you going to do about it?" Seibold says.

"Simple. Two can play that game. Pikachu use Electric Terrain." Ash commands.

Seibold clenches his fist in frustration as Pikachu uses Electric Terrain.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Using electric terrain was a stroke of genius." Clement shouts.

"Indeed. As long as Electric Terrain is in effect electric type moves will be super powerful and much more faster and not to mention accurate. I think Ash is going to win this round as well." Sycamore says.

Diantha and the 3 elite four members look on with a passive face.

 **(In the Battle field)**

"Use quick attack to dodge that Bite attack then zap it with your thunderbolt." Ash commands.

"Use Dragon Breath to block that thunderbolt then use Hyper beam." Seibold orders.

"Pikachu dodge it." Ash shouts.

However Pikachu gets hit and lands on the battlefield.

"Now Gyrados. Don't let it breathe use bind." Seibold orders.

Pikachu winces in pain as Gyrados strangles it with it's tail.

Ash thinks to himself 'What do I do?'

Then suddenly it hits him.

"Pikachu use thunderbolt now." Ash shouts.

"Move away from Pikachu Gyrados." Seibold shouts desperately.

This time the thunderbolt hits and Gyrados winces in pain.

'That electric terrain is causing problems for Gyrados. I don't think it will be able to take another attack like that. What to do?' Seibold thinks.

Suddenly it hits him "Gyrados. Use Rain dance to get rid of the electric terrain." Seibold shouts.

Seibold smirks as he sees the Electric terrain being neutralized by rain dance.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Oh no. This can be a problem. With Rain dance in effect water type moves will become more powerful." Oak says in a concerned tone.

"Yes. But I think Seibold has made a huge mistake." Serena says while smirking.

Everyone looks at her in confusion.

"What do you mean Serena?" Sycamore says.

"You will see Professor. Just watch patiently." Serena replies.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Bad move." Ash says with a smirk.

Seibold gets shocked at this statement and says "Why? What do you mean?"

"While it is true that Rain Dance boosts up your water type attack power and got rid of my Electric Terrain. But you have forgotten that water conducts electricity." Ash says while smirking.

Seibold still looks puzzled not able to understand what Ash means. "Hurricane." He shouts.

"Pikachu finish this in one move. Give me your most powerful thunder." Ash coolly commands.

Seibold's eyes widen in horror as he see a powerful Thunder shock Gyrados before it can finish using hurricane. An explosion occurs with Gyrados on the ground with swirly eyes.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Of course. Thunder has 100% accuracy when Rain Dance is being used. That was amazing. Now I see what Serena meant." Sycamore shouts.

"When Ash was planning his strategy against Seibold he made a backup plan in case Charizard lost. In the event Charizard lost Ash would have Pikachu battle Blastoise. In that case Ash predicted that Blastoise would be pretty wiped after the battle with Charizard so Seibold would have Blastoise use support move like Rain dance to try to even the playing field." Serena says with a feeling of pride.

Grace is shocked at what Serena has just said.

'So this is why Brandon recommended this kid. I now see why Brandon was proud of him when we talked. An exceptional battler for sure. I think it's about time I also resumed training' Diantha thinks to herself.

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

"I see what you meant." Seibold says while recalling Gyrados to his Poke ball.

'I know I have already lost this battle but I still need to keep on going.' Seibold thinks while he takes out another Poke ball.

"Alright Vaporeon. Stand by for battle." Seibold says while tossing the poke ball.

'Rain Dance is still in effect and Pikachu is pretty wiped out. It is safer to keep Pikachu back for the moment.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Alright Pikachu return." Ash says.

After Pikachu comes back Ash tosses another Poke ball and says "Torterra. I need your assistance."

"Alright. Battle begin."

'While Rain Dance is still active Solar beam and Synthesis will be working at full capacity. Not to mention Vaporeon may be very fast. I need to wait till the rain dance subsides.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Use stone edge." Ash commands.

"Dodge it with quick attack. Then use hydro pump."

After the hydro pump lands Torterra is pushed back a little.

"Use Aurora beam." Seibold Commands.

"Oh no. Use Protect." Ash shouts.

The protect holds for a while but then breaks.

'Ice type moves are super effective on Grass types like Torterra. If it keeps getting hit like this Torterra won't last long.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Grab it with vine whip followed by brutal swing." Ash shouts.

"Use Acid Armor. Then another Aurora beam." Seibold says while smirking.

"So it can use acid armor. Never mind use Frenzy Plant to envelope yourself as a shield." Ash commands.

The Aurora Beam is neutralized.

"Now use razor leaf." Ash shouts.

"Use Acid Armor again followed by Aurora Beam." Seibold says while smirks.

Ash clenches his fist in frustration as he sees the Razor Leaf miss. Not to mention Torterra takes damage from the Aurora Beam as well.

Suddenly the sun comes out. It seems the rain dance has reached it's end.

"Alright use Frenzy plant to trap it. Then use Synthesis to recover." Ash orders.

"Oh no you don't. Use Aurora beam on the frenzy plant then use quick attack to get close. Finish it with another Aurora beam from point blank range." Seibold shouts.

The Aurora beam hits before Synthesis can be completed. A huge explosion occurs and Torterra is barely able to keep itself from collapsing.

"I think it's time to finish this. Use quick attack to finish it off." Seibold says.

'Torterra is going down if that hits. If only I could land a leech seed before it goes out. But how?' Ash thinks to himself.

Suddenly it hits him.

"Torterra use grass knot to make Vaporeon trip over. Then use leech seed and then Giga drain." Ash shouts.

Seibold's smirk turn to horror as he sees Vaporeon trip over and then having leech seed drain all of his power along with Giga Drain.

"Vaporeon. Use Aurora Beam one more time." he shouts.

"Torterra solar beam. Everything You have got." Ash shouts.

Both attacks miss each other and land on their respective targets. 2 huge collisions take place. Vaporeon is barely able to stand up but Torterra has been knocked out.

"This round goes to Seibold. Vaporeon is the winner. Alright please bring out your next Pokemon." referee says.

 **(In the VIP Stand)**

"Finally Seibold manages to win one." Diantha says with a sense of relief.

"Well that was expected but the damage that Ash wanted has been done." Oak says.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Vaporeon. Return. Now Clawitzer stand by for battle." Seibold says while returning Vaporeon and releasing Clawitzer.

"Pikachu you are up." Ash says as Pikachu runs into the battlefield ready for battle.

"Alright Pikachu use thunderbolt." Ash commands.

"Use Hydro pump to block." Seibold counters.

"In that case use Quick attack." Ash says.

"Use Aqua jet to take into the sky. Then use ice beam on the field." Seibold orders.

"We won't let you. Use Thunderbolt to stop that ice beam." Ash shouts.

The ice beam is neutralized.

"In that case use the falling momentum to your advantage and attack with crab hammer." Seibold shouts.

"Dodge it buddy." Ash shouts but it is too late as Clawitzer's crab hammer meets its mark.

Pikachu struggles to get up.

"Don't let it breath. Use dragon pulse." Seibold orders.

"Dodge by using dig." Ash shouts.

Pikachu goes underground and comes up in front of Clawitzer.

"Alright. Now Pikachu use Iron Tail." Ash commands.

"Grab it with your claw." Seibold says.

"Bad move. Use Electroball."Ash says with a smirk.

"Oh no. Throw Pikachu away quick." Seibold shouts.

But it is already too late. The Electroball explodes inside Clawitzer's large claw causing a huge explosion. When the dust clears Clawitzer is on the ground with swirly eyes.

 **(In the VIP box)**

"I knew Ash was going to win but I didn't expect him to win on the first attack he managed to land. How is that possible?" Bonnie asks Clement.

"Well Bonnie the answer is simple. Usually when Pokemon endure attacks the attack comes from an external source. In simpler terms outside the body. However in this case the Electroball exploded inside Clawitzer's large claw. So this was an internal attack. Being an electric type move the explosion of the Electroball caused a huge amount of damage sufficient to knock Clawitzer out. It was almost as if the Electroball short circuited Clawitzer's body." Clement replies.

"Not only that Clement. Ash owns a Corphish and Kingler. He knows very well about the attacking patterns that Crab Pokemon use. He knew in advance that Seibold will have Clawitzer use that large claw to grab Pikachu's iron tail and then deliver a powerful counter attack from close range while Pikachu can't move. That is why he didn't use Electroball in the battle with Clawitzer earlier. So that he could take Clawitzer out with one shot." Oak says while beaming.

"That's incredible." Sycamore replies.

"Typical Ash battling strategy." Oak replies

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

"You are full of surprises young man. You kept Electroball back as an ace and used Iron Tail on purpose to ensure my Clawitzer grabs it with it's claw. Very impressive. I can say this that I know that I have been beaten. But I am glad that another trainer of elite four level has come after a long time. You have a very promising future Ash." Seibold says.

"Thank you sir." Ash replies.

"Very well shall we continue." Seibold asks.

"Why not. I am sticking with Pikachu." Ash replies.

"Alright then Vaporeon come out for battle." Seibold says as he tosses his final Poke ball.

"Battle begin." referee shouts.

"Vaporeon use quick attack." Seibold commands.

"We shall do the same." Ash says.

Both Pikachu and Vaporeon collide and slide back. They seem tied.

"Vaporeon use bubble beam." Seibold says.

"Counter with Electroball." Ash shouts.

"Now use Electric Terrain Pikachu." Ash shouts.

"While it uses Electric Terrain use Ice beam on the battlefield." Seibold says.

Use Electroball on the ground below you after you jump into the air." Ash orders.

An explosion occurs while revealing an ice battle field with some sparks coming from it with a Pikachu standing on a small patch of dirt surrounded by ice.

"Now use thunderbolt full power Pikachu." Ash shouts.

"You counter with ice beam Vaporeon." Seibold shouts.

It looks like the clash is tied.

"Vaporeon use Giga impact." Seibold commands.

"In that case we will use Volt Tackle." Ash shouts.

Both Pikachu and Vaporeon run towards each other with their respective attacks. Upon their clash an explosion occurs. When the dust clears both Vaporeon and Pikachu are on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Both Vaporeon and Pikachu. Are unable to battle. With 2 Pokemon still left match goes to Ash the KIP champion." The referee shouts.

The stadium erupts into cheer and applause. Ash simply picks up Pikachu in his arm while Seibold recalls Vaporeon. They both walk up to each other and shake hands.

"A great battle Ash." Seibold replies.

"Thank you." Ash says.

Seibold smiles. Then he turns around and starts to leave.

Ash suddenly calls out to him and says "Seibold I have a favor to ask." Ash says.

"What is that young man?" Seibold says.

"After a battle like this I don't know about you but I get super hungry. I promised my friends that we would celebrate yesterday but we didn't. Since you own a restaurant and love cooking would you join us for dinner tonight?" Ash says.

Seibold looks at Ash for a moment.

"Of course. It would be my pleasure. Why don't you bring all of your friends to my restaurant tonight. We shall have a celebration. Furthermore I shall cook myself." Seibold says with a smile.

"You will? Thank you so much." Ash says with an ecstatic voice.

"It will be my pleasure. See you at 8:30 tonight at my restaurant." Seibold replies with a smile before walking of.


	13. A Night to Remember

**(Later)**

"Ash. You did it. I am so happy for you." Serena says as she embraces Ash in a tight hug not before giving him a peck on the cheeks.

"Indeed. That was a remarkable battle." Grace says while smiling.

"Thanks. It was nothing." Ash says while blushing nervously.

"Ash Ketchum. Don't you ever do that to us again. We literally got a heart attack from watching this battle." Dawn and May shouted at the top of their voice causing Ash to gulp and flinch. But then their expression turned to pure joy.

"But we are so glad that you won." Both of them said while tackling Ash into a hug.

Ash was wincing in pain from that unexpected fall when he glanced at Serena. She was getting more and more irritated by the second as May and Dawn continued to hug him and refused to let him go.

'Oh oh. I need to do something quick.' Ash quickly thought to himself.

"Alright that is enough hugging. I need to meet the others as well." Ash said while wrenching himself free of their iron grip.

Both May and Dawn looked disappointed but then they shrugged their shoulders while thinking 'Oh well.'

"Nice battle. Ashy Boy." Gary said.

"Yup. I agree. It was." Brock says.

"Thanks Gary and Brock. Wouldn't have been able to do it without your support and rivalry." Ash replies while fist bumping Gary.

"Indeed that was quite the battle." Professor Oak says while walking towards them.

"I know. It's all thanks to you." Ash said.

"Thanks to me?" Oak said with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah. After I saw how you analyzed KIP question papers to come up with my strategy of studying and attempting the paper I knew I had to incorporate your style of analyzing my opponents moves and actions into my battling style. That is how I managed to get past Seibold's Blastoise. Of course my Charizard has a certain penchant for beating back Blastoises. Wouldn't you agree Gary?" Ash says with a smirk.

"Oh. Yeah maybe." Gary says in an uncomfortable manner as he remembers his match in the Johto League. Ash and Brock snicker at Gary's reaction.

"Well. Well. Young man that was an excellent battle." Sycamore said as he joined the lively group.

"Thank you Professor. May I have a word with you in private?" Ash says.

Everyone looks puzzled as they see Ash and Professor Sycamore engaged in a serious conversation in the corner of the room. Shortly both of them rejoin the group. Ash goes towards his friends while Sycamore rejoins the adult group.

"What did he want Sycamore?" Oak inquires in a curious tone.

"Oh nothing. Ash just wanted to know when he could swing by my lab to see with which Pokemon does his mega stone go with. I told him he can come tomorrow evening after school finishes." Sycamore replies with a smile.

Suddenly Ash claps his hands rather loudly. Everyone looks at him with a curious expression.

Having caught everyone's attention he says "Yesterday I promised my friends that we would go out to celebrate tonight. Since I wouldn't have won without your help and support so I would like everyone present here to join me at 8:30 in Seibold's restaurant where he and I are going to celebrate our great battle."

All the teenagers get excited and start cheering. Some of the Professors look crestfallen knowing they will not be able to make it as they have other plans.

Seeing the situation Grace says "Alright. How about this. Everybody who is interested in coming join us in 45 minutes at the gate of the KIP institution. Since Seibold owns a high end restaurant so formal wear is mandatory. Those who don't have. I suggest you hurry and buy."

 **(40 minutes later)**

Paul, Gary and Brock groan in their formal suits.

"Do we really have too?" They ask in unison to Professor Oak who is also wearing a suit.

"Yes. As KIP students and staff we have certain standards to maintain." Oak says sharply causing all 3 of them to drop their heads in disappointment.

Soon Dawn and May come with their dresses. Both of them are wearing good looking traditional formal dresses from their respective regions.

Then they see Ash and Serena walking towards them with Ash's arm around Serena's waist. They watch in shock as their jaws drop without them even realizing it. Ash looks like a prince charming who is wearing the suit Serena bought him day before yesterday. His hair is gelled and combed for a change. He has a red velvet handkerchief in his left chest pocket along with a golden flower which matches Serena's hair. He also has a brooch pin which is pinned on the left lapel of his suit. The brooch is in the the form of a rhombus flower with silver skeleton encrusted with amethyst-aquamarine stones which goes perfectly with Serena's eye color and dress.

Serena on the other hand is wearing the same dress she bought when she went dress shopping with Ash along with the same necklace that he bought for her.

"Damn that's one fine piece of .." Gary says not before being whacked by his grandfather on the back of his head causing all 5 of them to come out of their daze.

"Gary I don't expect any of those adolescent whims or slang from you. I expect you to be on your best behavior." Oak says in the most stern voice anyone has ever heard him in.

"Right Gramps." Gary mumbles.

May and Dawn however are beyond pissed at Serena. They however keep their rage under control and put on a fake smile and greet both of them.

"You guys look ..." Brock says in a dazed manner as he looks lost for words.

Suddenly they see all the other professors and Grace walking towards them.

When Grace arrives she takes a look around and says "Well looks like everyone who could come has made it here. Now let us call the cabs."

"Why call cabs when the principal of the KIP itself is here." Sycamore says while taking out his phone. He dials a number and waits.

"Sycamore here. I need 3 limousines at the main gate in 5 minutes stat." He says.

"Will be done Sir. Please stand by." The other person says before disconnecting the line.

After 5 minutes 3 black limousines stop in front of them.

"You shouldn't have." Grace says sweetly.

"Don't worry. One of the perks of the jobs." Sycamore replies with a wink.

Grace smiles and climbs into the car. The rest follow suit. Soon they are all moving towards Seibold's restaurant.

Ash, Serena, May, Dawn, Gary and Brock are in the last car.

Dawn asks Ash "Ash how do I look?"

"You look good Dawn." Ash replies.

"Really. Thanks Ash." Dawn says as she squeaks a little and blushes a little. Serena looks at Dawn but doesn't react.

"How do I look?" May asks.

"You look good as well. Wait isn't that the dress your mother gave you for you Grand Festival?" Ash asks.

"Oh you remember. That is so sweet Ash." May says as she giggles.

Ash turns to talk to Brock about his study as a Pokemon doctor. Serena while seeing Ash is not looking gives a glare to both May and Dawn clearly conveying the message "BACK OFF."

Dawn and May return her glare which clearly says "MAKE ME."

Serena decides to ignore them and starts looking at the view outside the window.

Soon the car comes to a halt. Ash gets out first and then like a gentleman should offers his hand to Serena. Serena blushes while she puts her palm on his and comes out of the car.

'When did he learn to do that? Seeing as he landed Serena I should get tips from him.' Brock thinks to himself.

As Ash and Serena walk towards the restaurant with his arm around her waist a swarm of reporters surround them and start flashing their cameras.

"Serena are you guys going out together?" One reporters asks.

Ash and Serena look at each other. They both giggle and then turn to face the reporters and say "Yes" in unison.

"That's great. So when did you two lovebirds first meet?" another reporter asks.

"Well. Serena and I are actually close friends from childhood. We both liked each other a lot at that age but destiny separated us when her family had to move fro Kanto to Kalos." Ash says.

Gary, Brock, Paul, May and Dawn get shocked by this new piece of information and look at each other confused.

"Well Gary do you remember Serena now?" Oak says as he walks up to the five of them.

Gary closes his eyes and thinks for a while. Then suddenly he opens his eyes and puts his hands on his mouth. Then he cries out loud in shock "Of course. She is the girl in the straw hat. She and Ash used to be inseparable when they were young. Now it makes total sense how he got Serena to go out with him so easily when all the other boys including us three had failed miserably. They had already developed affections for each other since childhood."

"Ash never told any of us about it." Brock says with wide eyes with a shocked expression.

"Well that was because she and her mom had to leave for Kalos due to financial reasons as far as I recall. I remember now. He cried for almost a month when she left. He was never the same after her departure. But she was the only one who he never forgot about. Looks like true love is a thing after all and not just a part of fairy tales." Gary replied.

May and Dawn looked crestfallen after hearing this piece of information. They both turned to each other and started crying profusely on each other's shoulder.

"What is going on with those two?" Oak questioned Gary.

"Oh them. Both of them have feelings for Ash as well. I guess now they have realized that they don't actually stand a chance with Serena being present." Gary replied without reacting.

"I see." Oak says.

He suddenly walks up to them and puts a warm comforting hand on each of their shoulder. He says with a gentle tone "I respect your feelings. However as bitter as the truth sounds you need to face it. If you attempt to acquire Ash for yourselves you will end up losing him as a friend. Let him go with her. As a friend don't you want to see him happy?"

"We know that now. But it hurts." Dawn replies while sobbing.

"Don't worry. If Ash and Serena are any example then you two will find your Mr. Perfect someday as well." Oak says trying to cheer them up.

"Thank you Professor. We feel much better now. Could you leave us alone for some time?" May says after her crying has subsided.

"Of course. Just don't take too long." Oak says while walking away towards the restaurant with Gary, Paul and Brock.

 **(Inside the restaurant)**

Professor Oak, Gary , Ash and Paul walk into the restaurant to see everyone apart from Ash, Serena, may and Dawn already seated. Along with them they see Diantha along with her elite four sitting too. All four of them get shocked when they see Charles Goodshow seated as well.

"Diantha. Mr. Goodshow. I didn't expect to see you both here." Oak says while sitting down on a chair.

"Well actually both of us have a proposition for Ash. We have run into a small problem. It would be very nice if he would help us out." Diantha says while Goodshow nods his head.

"What kind of proposition?" Grace asks.

"Oh you will see." Diantha says. "By the way where is Ash. I don't see him anywhere?"

"Oh. He and Serena have been swamped by the media. You know Kalos Queen with a boyfriend who managed to beat an elite four member. It's like catnip to these people." Grace replies.

Diantha and Goodshow nod as they know how it feels. Suddenly May and Dawn walk in and quietly sit down on their places.

"Are you both OK?" Sycamore asks with a tone of concern in his voice.

"Yup. We are fine Professor. Don't worry about us." Mar replies as Dawn nods here head as well giving a fake smile.

After a while Ash and Serena enter holding hands and collapse onto their chairs in exhaustion.

"I thought I would never get out alive." Ash says as he drinks some water from his glass.

"Tell me about it." Serena says as she does the same.

"Welcome to the life of a celebrity Ash." Goodshow says.

Ash suddenly realizes that Charles Goodshow is also present. He straightens himself and immediately says "Mr. Goodshow. It is so good to see you. I believe I last saw you Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh league."

"Indeed. I must say it is good to see you as well." Goodshow replies with a chuckle.

"But Mr. Goodshow. What are you doing here?" Ash questions him.

"I have a proposition for you young man. But before we get down to that let us first celebrate your win with food, drink and an atmosphere of frivolity."

"You s-s-saw my b-b-battle?" Ash asks while stammering.

"Of course. I must say you have grown since the Unova league."

Ash goes completely pink as he stammers "Th-Thank Y-You."

Everyone bursts into laughter on seeing Ash's reaction. Soon Ash joins in as well.

After the laughter has subsided Seibold says "Before we eat the food prepared by me. We must first buildup our appetite so that we can enjoy it even more. So pick your partner and dance."

Sycamore got up and asked Grace to dance with him. Seibold left with Diantha. Wikstrom left with Drasna. Ash left with Serena. Gary, May , Paul, Brock and Dawn were left along with Mr. Goodshow and some of the other professors.

"Why aren't you people dancing." Goodshow says while pointing at the 5 of them.

"U mm. Cause we don't have any partners." Brock replied

"Not taking these two lovely ladies with you on a dance will be nothing short of a crime young man." Goodshow says while gesturing towards Dawn and May causing them to blush.

Before Gary and Brock can say anything Paul gets up and says "Dawn. Will you dance with me?"

Dawn looks confused for a second. Then she smiles and replies "Sure."

They both walk away towards the dance floor.

"Will you .." Brock says before May says "No." and turns to Gary.

She then takes Gary's hand and forcefully drags him to the dance floor. Brock is left alone crestfallen with a Toxicroak behind him who was about to use poison jab on him. Despite their best efforts to contain themselves the Professors burst into laughter. Even Toxicroak rolls on the floor with laughter.

"I will go with you." A voice comes from the professor's group. All the male professors get surprised to see Professor Juniper stand and walk towards Brock.

"I haven't danced in an age. Do you mind?" she asks Brock.

Brock looks as if he has been struck by lightning. He jumps up with excitement not believing that a person of the opposite gender asked him to dance with her and drags Professor Juniper away to the dance floor.

"What an interesting young man." Goodshow says as he watches all the couple dance to the enchanting music.

 **(15 minutes Later)**

"Now that we are all tired from dancing. It is time to eat." Seibold says as he snaps his fingers. Suddenly waiter come from the kitchen carrying dish after dish. Everyone looks in awe at the amazing variety and quantity of food present.

"Dig in." Seibold says as everyone lunges at the food having not eaten anything since the afternoon.

 **(30 minutes later)**

"That was heavenly." Ash and all the others present say in unison.

"Thank you. It was my pleasure." Seibold says while bowing.

"Alright before we all go. Ash Diantha and I have a proposition for you." Goodshow replies.

"Alright. What is it." Ash says.

"Tell me would you like being a member of Diantha's elite four?" Goodshow says.

Ash, Serena, Grace and all the other kids and Professors look shocked.

"M-Me an E-Elite F-F-Four?" Ash stutters while the others are recovering from their shock.

Goodshow nods. Ash pauses for a moment. then he says "But how is that possible? There can't be more that 4 elite four at a time and Diantha already has Malva, Wikstrom, Seibold and Drasna."

"Yes I do for now. But Malva is leaving the elite four for personal reasons. She will no longer be a member of the elite four after 4 months." Diantha says.

"Is that why she didn't come today?" Seibold questions Diantha to which Diantha nods.

"Alright. But why me?" Ash says.

"Well to tell you the truth both me and Diantha were impressed by you skills as a Pokemon trainer. So we thought you would be a good fit. However you will have to prove yourself worthy of this position." Goodshow replies.

"OK. Suppose I agree. What trial do I need to pass?" Ash says with a spark in his eyes.

"You will have to go on a journey throughout Kalos and earn all the 8 badges within 4 months in time to enter the Kalos league and win it." Diantha says.

"A journey. Sounds interesting. I accept. But what about KIP classes?" Ash asks.

"You are a champion. You will be automatically cleared for all the subjects." Diantha says.

"Fine. I accept. But I have 2 conditions." Ash says.

"Really what are these 2 conditions?" Diantha says.

"My first condition is that I want to have an exhibition battle with you tomorrow. One on One." Ash says.

Diantha thinks for a while then says "Agreed. The second?"

"I want Serena to come with me on this journey." Ash says.

Both Serena and Grace look shocked at this request.

"But Ash how can you force her to come with you on this journey? What about her classes?" Diantha says.

"Serena is the Kalos Queen. By your logic of a champion clearing all classes a Kalos Queen should also be allowed to do the same. Also when we were young I promised her that one day I would find her and take her on a journey." Ash says.

Grace silently looks at Serena who looks overjoyed at the prospect of travelling with Ash.

She thinks for a while then says "Fine. I don't have a problem."

However Diantha says "I am sorry. I can't grant this request. You can handle a journey. For her it will be the first time. I need someone responsible who I can trust to go along with you two. Someone who can keep a check on you and report your progress back to me while ensuring Serena performs her duties as Kalos Queen at the same time."

Everyone thinks for a while then Clement stands up and says "I will go. Since I am an topper so Diantha you don't need to worry about me missing classes. Furthermore I am the Lumiose city Gym leader so you can count on me for taking care of the progress reporting. Besides it's about time I also went on a journey to gain experience."

Diantha thinks for a moment. Then she looks at Ash and Serena's eyes to see a fire in their eyes.

"Very well. I agree. You three will leave day after tomorrow. However Serena I still expect you to keep travelling to the showcases and put up exhibition performances. You must not forget you are the Kalos Queen. You have some responsibility towards Pokemon Performances as well. I don't want Palermo complaining about it to me."

"Don't worry Diantha I will handle Palermo." Serena says while giving Diantha a thumbs up.

"Alright then that is settled. I wish you three good luck on this adventure." Goodshow says while getting up to leave.

Everyone says their goodbyes and take their leave for the night.


	14. A Queen for a Champion

**(Outside Ash and Serena's Apartment)**

"Well. Here is where I leave you two. Better get some shut eye."Grace says while yawning before walking off towards the guest house.

Both Ash and Serena enter their apartment and lock the door. They first tend to their Pokemon. After ensuring all of them are asleep. They both turn to go back towards their own bedroom after such a tiring day.

Serena is standing next to the wall while placing her jewelry on the table. Suddenly Ash comes from behind and pushes her against the wall.

"What are you doing?" Serena says moments before realizing that Ash is kissing the nape of her neck.

He moves his hands inside her dress while caressing her body as he kisses her cheeks. Serena meanwhile closes her eyes and savors every moment of intimacy. Suddenly Ash turn her around and slams her back against the wall. Serena opens her eyes as she peers directly into Ash's eyes. Soon Ash kisses her and start to put his hands inside her dresses. Initially Serena tries to stop him but then instinctively her hands also start to unbutton his pants.

They both separate for a moment and instinctively start to take of their clothes. Soon Ash doesn't have anything on apart from a large bulge in his underwear. Serena on the other hands wears nothing but her bra and panties. They both look at each other and lick their lips with a sense of lust.

In a matter of seconds Serena jumps onto Ash while kissing him incessantly. Ash hoists Serena up in his arms. He carries her to the bed and then slams her on the bed moments before jumping onto her. They both kiss each other with their hands wrapped around each other's naked bodies.

Ash continues to lick and tickle her. Serena giggles while enjoying every moment of it. Then she pushes Ash away. Ash looks at her in confusion. She seductively smirks at Ash while taking of her bra exposing her breasts and tossing the bra away. Ash stands dazed while staring at her breasts.

"So Heaven does exist after all, and it is under the clothes of the Kalos Queen." Ash says pressing his face into her chest to feast on her breasts.

Serena giggles upon hearing that comment while she grabs Ash's neck and pulls his face deeper into her chest.A few minutes later she sees Ash take off his underwear exposing his thick dick without moving his head which is sucking away at her left breast. At first she is scared at it's size but then Ash suddenly puts 3 of his fingers inside her panties causing her to give a cry of sheer pleasure. Ash pushes Serena on the bed.

He also goes down on her and whispers in her ear "Did you like that?"

Serena says "Babe. Whatever you do just don't f**k my a*****e with your dick. Mom will get worried if I get pregnant or anything."

Ash smirks at her. Then he yanks off her panties and buries his head inside her vagina while grabbing each of her breasts with one of his hand. He starts to squeeze and suck as hard as possible. Serena starts giving off loud moans of pure pleasure.

Suddenly Ash pauses and says."Shush. You don't want to wake Pikachu and Braixen do you?" Serena nods while Ash again starts to suck away at vagina.

After 10 minutes Serena says "Ash. I am getting this weird sensation I have never got before."

Ash quickly replies "You are about to cum Kalos Queen. Don't worry I have heard that it is very enjoyable."

Ash keeps on sucking as the feeling keeps getting more and more intense Serena starts to breathe faster and faster while giving louder moans of pleasure. Suddenly her eyes spring open and she lets out a shriek of pure pleasure while Ash gets a mouthful of Serena's cum which he laps away with his tongue.

Both separate from each other for a while and lie down on the bed while gasping for breath. Serena turns over to see Ash very slowly jerking his dick while catching his breath.

"My turn." She says with a lusty smirk as this time she comes over to Ash.

She yanks his hands off his dick and start to stroke it with her own and say "For the moment no one except the Kalos Queen shall have access to the restricted area."

She then puts the dick in her mouth giving it a long lick. Ash gives a moan of pleasure. Then he sees Serena smiling at her with an evil face.

"Why did you stop?" He literally shouts.

"Oh I see. So it is OK for you to tell me to keep quiet while you can shout. Do you really want to Pikachu to see us like this?" She teases.

"Fine no problem. Now just continue." Ash says while looking at Serena.

Serena nods. She takes out her tongue takes it very close to his his dick but withdraw it before licking it. Ash gets frustrated but says nothing. She does the same twice. Ash then loses his composure and says "Are you going to suck my dick or what?"

"I will. But first you will have to beg." Serena says while smirk.

"Serena. Please suck my dick. It will mean the world to me." Ash says while making puppy dog eyes.

"How can I refuse that?" Serena says as she swallows his dick and starts to jerk it with both of her hands. She first starts slow. Then she slowly increases her speed. Ash does nothing but close his eyes and moan in pleasure. He then grabs the back of her head and pushes it up and down to go even harder. Suddenly his eyes spring open as he grabs and squeezes the bed sheet of the bed as he realizes he has just cummed.

Slowly Serena comes on top of him and lies down on his body with her face rested on her chest. She says "Well that was my first time. How did you like it?" As can see the cum inside her mouth.

"That was your first time? No way. That was too good to be a first time." Ash replies.

"It was. What about you?" Serena says while gulping the cum down.

"Well it was my fist time as well and I am glad that I lost my virginity to you."Ash says.

"Well technically I am still a virgin since we have not had vaginal sex yet." Serena says.

"Well we can fix that right now." Ash says while getting up and pushing Serena on the bed.

"Ash no. We shouldn't."Serena says.

"Oh come on. It is the month end. There is no way you will get pregnant. When is your next cycle due?" Ash says.

"In a couple of weeks but that is not the point. If we start having vaginal sex then we will keep having it. Eventually I will get pregnant."Serena says to Ash's face while he is on top of her. His dick looks almost poised to enter her vagina.

"Let me clear 2 things Serena. Firstly pregnant or not I will always be there for you. I will never leave you." Ash says while kissing her hand.

Serena smiles and then says "And the second?"

"Can we just make an exception this once. For me please." Ash says with puppy dog eyes.

"Ash I don't know. We should be careful." Serena says.

Ash moves closer to her neck. He starts kissing her neck and whispers "Just this once for your Champion my Queen. After all I know you secretly want it." Serena on hearing that can't help but smile.

"Fine I suppose so. Just this once." Serena says seconds before she experiences a sharp pain in her vagina. She releases a gasp of pain as her eyes spring open.

"Don't worry. The pain will go." Ash says while withdrawing the dick from her vagina. Then he again thrusts it inside.

This time however the pain is less and there is more pleasure. After a few more thrusts he pauses. He looks at Serena who is already gasping for breath. He asks "If you still don't want to I won't force you."

"Ash Ketchum. If you don't f**k me as hard as possible till you have cummed at least twice inside me then I shall break up with you." Serena screams.

Ash without a moment to lose starts to f**k her with everything he has got. He copies her technique. He starts of slow then he gradually increases his speed and power.

 **(40 minutes Later)**

Both Serena and Ash are on the bed next to each other holding hands while panting. Soon Ash comes close to Serena to cuddle with her while pulling a blanket over them both.

"That was incredible." Serena says tuning to face Ash.

"Thank you. We aim to please." Ash says while giving her a kiss. and then hugging her tightly.

"I wish we never had to leave this room." Serena says.

"I know. But what to do. We will have to eventually."Ash says.

"Ash do you know May and Dawn have a huge crush on you?" Serena says.

"I know. I have known for a long time." Ash replies.

"You knew all along. Yet you didn't give out any indications to show that you weren't interested in them." Serena says in surprise.

"I didn't because even though I wasn't romantically interested in them I have several fond memories associated with them while I traveled throughout the Hoeen and Sinnoh regions with them. I didn't want to lose them as friends. Shall I tell you something but you will have to promise me not to tell anyone." Ash says.

"I promise." Serena replies.

"In order to ensure that they won't confess their feelings or anything. I used to pretend to be this dense person who didn't understand anything apart from Pokemon battling." Ash says.

"Why? I don't understand." Serena says.

Ash turns to Serena and says "Because I knew deep down inside somewhere in this world a lovely girl with honey blonde hair and breathtaking azure eyes, who used to wear straw hat when she was young, would be waiting for me."

Serena eyes starts to turn watery."You rejected all those girls for me?" Serena says with a shaky voice.

"Of course. Whenever I used to look at any of them in my moments of doubt your childhood face would flash in front of my eyes. I immediately understood that that girl is the one for me no matter what." Ash says.

"Oh Ash." Serena cries as she hugs him and starts crying on his shoulders.

"There. There. Serena. I am here now aren't I. Nothing will break us apart. Anyone who tries to do so shall wish he never met us." Ash says while wiping her tears and kissing her forehead.

"I love you Ash. I have since my childhood." Serena says.

"I know. The same goes for me. However as much as I would like to stay like this we really need to get some sleep. It is already 1 hour past midnight." Ash says.

Serena nods before giving him a goodnight kiss.

"Sweet dreams Kalos Queen." Ash says as he closes his eyes.

"Sweet dreams Kalos Champion." Serena says as she closes her eyes as well.

Within a matter of moments both of them doze off to sleep.


	15. Champion vs Champion

**(Next Morning)**

Serena wakes only to find Ash fast asleep. She looks at the time and jumps up in shock.

"Ash it is 8:00 already. Wake up." She shouts while rushing towards the bathroom.

Ash wakes up with a start.

"Oh no. I don't have time to research about Diantha's Gardevoir." Ash says as he gets out of bed.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

Ash and Serena run into the mess hall only to see Grace waiting there.

"Where have you two been?" She asks.

"Sorry. We slept very late." Both of them reply in unison before grabbing their breakfast tray. Grace however raises an eyebrow at their reply.

In 5 minutes they both return and sit down on their chairs and start gulping down the food.

"So did you both use protection last night like I told you." Grace asks in a casual manner.

"No we didn't because we didn't have any." Serena replies before getting shocked at what she just said.

Both Ash and Serena look at Grace a little confused and shocked.

"How " Ash starts to say before being cut off by Grace.

"Did I know?'" Grace says. "By your timing and by the glow on Serena's face."

Serena and Ash turn a shade of red.

Grace finishes her coffee and puts down the cup.

She turns to Ash and Serena who both gulp and says "I am not angry. I have been in your age once too. Sometimes you can't control yourself. Plus you two are adults now so you need to be able to take you own life decisions."

Then her expression and tone turns stern as she says "However. I will expect you to use protection from now on. Is that understood. I don't want any untimely pregnancies Serena. At least not before you are married. Now finish your food quickly. We will need to run."

"Absolutely." They both reply quickly and resume devouring their food in pin drop silence. Grace however smiles to herself.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

"Today marks the day when the term of KIP officially starts. However before your classes begin I will have an exhibition one on one battle with the Champion of the school." Diantha says into the microphone on the stage.

The crowd erupts into cheers.

She and Ash then walk to the battlefield and take their positions.

The referee says "This will be a one on one exhibition battle. Battle will be over when either sides Pokemon is unable to battle. Now participants bring out your Pokemon."

"Pikachu let's do this." Ash says as Pikachu hops onto the battlefield and takes battle stance.

"Gardevoir. Come out." Diantha says while tossing her Poke ball.

"Alright then. Battle begin." Referee shout.

"You may have the honor Ash." Diantha says while gesturing to him.

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt." Ash commands.

Pikachu releases an powerful thunderbolt. Diantha however only nods. Gardevoir dodges the attack.

'So this is the special communication Serena told me about.' Ash thinks while reminiscing the warning Serena gave him regarding how Diantha is known to command her Pokemon without uttering any words.

"In that case. Use quick attack." Ash shouts.

Diantha again nods her head and Gardevoir dodges all the attacks.

"Shadow ball go." Diantha counters.

Pikachu gets hit and is sent flying.

"Did you really think I would be that easy to beat Ash?" Diantha says.

"Oh I knew that you would dodge those attacks alright. In fact I wanted you to dodge them." Ash replies.

Diantha gets confused and says "Why?"

"So that I can see how you communicate with your Gardevoir and how I can get past that hurdle. Pikachu jump up in the air. Then aim an Electroball ball between Diantha and Gardevoir." Ash commands.

Diantha gets confused at this command. Electroball collides with the ground and explodes creating a huge amount of dust in front of her which hides Gardevoir from her sight.

Diantha realizes that Ash used that Electroball to prevent her from communicating without talking. She shouts "Use Protect to shield yourself."

"Now Pikachu use iron tail and slam it on the ground next to Gardevoir." Ash shouts.

"Then go into Volt Tackle and smash through that Protect." Ash commands while the rocks are breaking against Gardevoir's Protect weakening it.

Soon Gardevoir is sent flying through the air. The entire arena starts murmuring as the dust finally settles down in the battlefield.

"I must say I am impressed Ash. Landing an attack on my Gardevoir in your first battle is no small feat however this is where the battle ends. Gardevoir use Shadow ball again." Diantha says.

Knowing Pikachu can't take another powerful attack like that Ash shouts "Use dig to get in close to Gardevoir."

"Bad move Ash. Gardevoir use Psychic and pull Pikachu out. Then slam it in front of you and finish it of with a moon blast." Diantha says.

Pikachu gets pulled out and then gets hit by a moon blast from point blank range. An explosion occurs which upon settling reveals a Pikachu with swirly eyes on the ground.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. The match goes to the Kalos Champion Diantha." Referee shouts as the stadium explodes with clapping and cheer.

Ash picks up Pikachu then see Diantha walking over towards him while clapping.

"That was quite the battle Ash." Diantha says.

"Yes thank you. It was. We shall battle again sometime soon." Ash replies while shaking her hand.

Diantha smiles and walks away to the stage. Then she says into the microphone "Now that the battle is over. It is time to head to your classes. Be on your way. Ash Ketchum, Serena Yvonne and Clemont Citron are requested to meet professor Sycamore immediately."

Serena and Grace walk up to Ash as everyone disperses to move towards their classes. Serena hugs Ash and says "That was a very nice battle. I must say you are very strong Ash."

"Indeed that combination of Electroball on the ground then using Iron tail to smash up the rocks to sufficiently weaken that protect for the Volt tackle to break through was an excellent idea." Grace says while smiling.

"It was all thanks to your daughter's warning about Diantha being able to communicate with her Gardevoir without language." Ash says while releasing Serena from the hug.

"Well you two should get going. It would not be good manners to keep Professor Sycamore waiting." Grace says before leaving.

 **(In Professor Sycamore's lab)**

"Alright Ash. First of all I wanted to congratulate you for putting up an excellent fight against her Gardevoir. It has been 2 years since anyone has been able to land a hit." Sycamore says.

"Thank you Professor. But before we talk I need to get Pikachu treated." Ash says while gesturing to Pikachu who is curled up in his arms.

"Of course. Sophie will see to it." A lady comes and takes Pikachu away.

"Now let us get down to the first order of business. First Ash do you have them Mega stone from 2 days ago?" Sycamore asks.

"Of course. It is in my back pack." Ash says as he open his back pack. He find the mega stone and hands it to Sycamore.

"Alright. Time to see to which Pokemon this Mega stone pair with." Sycamore says while placing it in a machine and typing some commands into the computer.

"I assume your machine analyzes the spectrum of wavelength of the radiation emitted and tally it against already known spectrum in your database." Clemont replies.

"Yes you are absolutely right. I must say I didn't expect you to figure this out so soon." Sycamore smiles before a beeping sound come from the machine.

"Curious. Very curious." Sycamore says while he reruns the test.

"What's wrong professor?" Ash asks.

"Wait a moment we shall see." Sycamore replies.

After another 3 retests Sycamore extracts the Mega Stone and hands it back to Ash.

"I am sorry Ash. But it seems that this mega-stone goes with some Pokemon which is not on the database."

"But then how will Ash figure it out?" Serena says with a concerned voice.

Sycamore thinks for a moment. Then he says "Well there is another way. But for that you will have to go to the Shalour City for that and then meet the former gym leader. His name is Gurkinn. He is famous throughout Kalos for being the Mega-Evolution expert. If there is anyone who know what Mega Stone this is then that is Gurkinn."

"Shalour city huh. Alright then we will go there." Ash says.

"Good. Now to the second order of business. Grace has arranged all that you need for your journey from cooking materials to camping gear. Here take these as well." Sycamore says while handing each of them a cube each.

"What is this professor?" Ash asks.

"This is a holocaster. It will allow you to communicate to us when ever you want. For emergency purposes or otherwise. Also hand me your Pokedexes." Sycamore says.

Clemont, Ash and Serena comply. Sycamore one by one inserts a chip into the Pokedexes and then reboots them. After he is finished he hands them back to their respective trainers.

"I have now upgraded your Pokedexes with up to date information on mega evolution. How to use it, What makes it different etc. Also the instructions for using your holocaster is also there. Finally my and Diantha's personal number is also programmed into it."

"Thanks Professor. That will be a big help." Clemont says with Ash and Serena nodding.

"Alright. I guess you have the day to yourselves. Feel free to explore the campus. I must now get back to work." Sycamore says while standing up.

"Professor would know whether Professor Oak is free right now and if he is then where will he be?" Ash says.

"Of course. Wait a moment." Sycamore says as he opens his Poke Pad.

"It seems you are in luck. He is in his cabin number 24 in the next building and he is free this afternoon from 3 o Clock onward."

"OK thanks." Ash says as the 3 of them turn around and exit Professor Sycamore's lab.

"So what do we do the rest of the day?" Ash says.

"Well I need to head back to Lumiose city and help my dad out with something." Clemont says.

"Now that you mention it I have never explored Lumiose city." Ash replies.

"Then let us go then. I know an excellent cafe that serves excellent food." Serena says.

"Alright then let us go." Clemont says.

"Wait a minute Pikachu is still is Professor Sycamore's lab. You guys go ahead I will catch up with you later at the KIP gate." Ash says.

"Wait. I will come too." Serena says.

"Alright then you two have fun. If you want to see me come to Prism tower and call me on the holocaster." Clemont says while walking away.

Seeing Ash and Serena return Sycamore says "Hello again Ash and Serena did you two forget something?"

"Yup. We forgot that Pikachu was still being treated by Sophie." Ash replies rather nervously.

"Oh right. I forgot that too. But it shouldn't be long though. However it's a good thing you came back. I forgot to give this to you earlier. Here take this as well." Sycamore says while handing Ash a card.

"What is this?" Ash says.

"That is a VIP Card Ash. It allows you to access and use VIP facilities of Pokemon Gyms, Hotels, Restaurants etc all over Kalos. See I have one as well." Serena says while holding her card.

"Cool. But why do I get it." Ash replies.

"Well you are the KIP champion. Also you have earned the good graces of all the professors and Charles Goodshow and Diantha. So the real question would be why didn't you get one." Sycamore replies while smiling.

Suddenly Sophie walks out with Pikachu perched on her shoulder smiling.

"Pikachu you OK buddy?" Ash asks as Pikachu jumps onto his shoulders.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu says while nuzzling his cheeks against Ash's cheeks. Then Pikachu immediately jumps on Serena and curls himself up in her arms for a nap. Serena giggles while she strokes Pikachu's tail.

"Alright. Thanks Professor and Mrs. Sophie. We will be on our way." Ash says.

After walking a few minutes Ash turns to Serena and says "What should we do? Any ideas."

"Well we can go shopping first. Then grab lunch and then visit the attractions of Lumiose city." Serena says.

"Fine. Call your Limousine guy." Ash says.

"Hold on a second." Serena says while taking out her phone.

 **(25 minutes later)**

"Well we have entered Lumiose city. Harry first take us to Valerie's store. Then we will go to Cafe on the Banks." Serena says.

"Of Course. Ma'am." Harry replies.

 **(15 minutes later)**

"Well here we are." Serena says while getting out of her car.

"Yup let's go." Ash says carrying the still asleep Pikachu in his arms.

"Ash do you know that Valerie is one of the gym leaders you will be facing off against." Serena says while entering the store.

"Really. Where is her gym and does it specialize in particular type of Pokemon?" Ash says eagerly.

"Hey gym is in Laverre city and as far as I have heard it specializes in fairy types." Serena replies while giggling at his reaction.

"But that's not all I do."

Both Ash and Serena get surprised when they see a girl with black eyes wearing a pink and yellow dress which resembles a Vivillon's wings and a Gothita's stature looking at them with a smile.

"Valerie." Serena cries as she rushes forward to give Valerie a hug.

"It's good to see you too Serena." Valerie replies after separating from the hug.

"What are you doing here?" Serena asks her.

"Well. I am inspecting all of my fashion store outlets to see whether they are working in pristine order or not." Valerie replies.

"Oh Valerie I would like to introduce my boyfriend Ash. Ash this is Valerie." Serena says.

"Oh so this is the one Olympia was talking about. I must apologize I was not present during the initiation ceremony of KIP due to personal reason. Heard you completely wrecked Calem." Valerie says.

"Oh that was no problem at all. The hard part was beating Seibold. Anyway I am glad to meet another of Serena's friends." Ash says with a smile.

"Why don't we sit down and have a lot to talk about. Though I must say Serena you have certainly picked an excellent boyfriend." Valerie says while gesturing her hand towards a door.

"Of course. Lead the way." Ash says while blushing.

 **(1 hour Later)**

Serena and Ash walk out of Valerie's store and wave Valerie goodbye while sitting inside their car. As the car moves towards the cafe Serena and Ash sit silently in the car listening to the music.

Suddenly Serena says "Oh no. I forgot to do shopping." with a regret.

"Don't worry. There is always next time." Ash says while internally feeling extremely relieved that he didn't have to go shopping.

The car stops and Ash and Serena get out. They walk into the cafe only to see Diantha sitting there with Cynthia.

As soon as Cynthia sees Ash she shouts "Ash. What are you doing here?" while waving her hands.

"Hi Cynthia it has been a while since I last saw you as well." Ash says while waving back.

"Come her join us. I guess you two don't know each other. Ash this is Diantha. Diantha this is Ash." Cynthia says while Ash and Serena take a seat.

"Actually we know each other very well Cynthia. After all Ash is the KIP Champion." Diantha says while sipping her coffee.

"Really. I didn't know that. Congratulations on getting into KIP." Cynthia says.

"Well it was nothing too difficult. I just beat the school champion and took his place. Nothing so great about that." Ash says.

"Oh really. Why don't you tell Cynthia about how you beat Seibold." Serena says in showing of manner.

"What! You beat Seibold. Now you must tell me about it." Cynthia exclaims.

"Well I am not so good at describing this so why don't you hear it from Serena." Ash says while signaling the waiter.

As Cynthia and Serena talk Ash turns to Diantha and asks her "What is Cynthia doing here in Kalos all the way away from Sinnoh?"

"She is taking a holiday here. What are you doing here may I ask instead of attending your classes?" Diantha says.

"Professor Sycamore said that I didn't have to attend classes today. So Serena and I decided to visit Lumiose city." Ash replies. "Do you know what is good here to eat?"

"Of course. Depends on what you want. Vegetarian or Non Vegetarian." Diantha replies.

"Non Veg." Ash says.

"Try the Chicken Paillard and I would recommend a glass of red wine with it." Diantha says.

"Thanks. Can you order for me please. I am starving." Ash says while walking away to the washroom.

When Ash return he sees all three of them have ordered already and have been waiting for him to return.

"Sorry for the wait. Let's eat." Ash says while grabbing his knife and fork.

After a while Cynthia says "Ash from what Serena told me your Charizard must be very strong if it can take down Seibold's mega evolved Blastoise. One of these days let's battle."

"Sure. The only problem is I am leaving with Serena tomorrow on a journey to get all badges in order to enter the Kalos league as a challenge from Diantha. So I don't know how will it work out. How many days are you here?" Ash asks Cynthia.

"Well I am here for a month at least maybe two. But if you are not here in Lumiose City then I don't know how we will make it happen." Cynthia says while looking crestfallen.

Looking at Ash and Cynthia's faces Serena gets sad too. Then she pick up her mobile and starts doing some research. After a while she says "This will be perfect Ash. When we leave tomorrow we can go to Santalune city to challenge Viola for the bug badge. Then on our way to the Cyllage city gym we can stop by KIP and have your battle."

"That sounds good to me." Ash says.

"Indeed it will be perfect." Cynthia replies.

"However. One thing I don't get. You two seem to know each other from before." Ash says pointing to Cynthia and Serena.

"Oh that of course we do. After all Palermo happens to be a family friend of mine." Cynthia replies.

"Aha. Now I get it. Why you two were so comfortable with each other from the start. Serena you didn't tell me you knew Cynthia as a friend." Ash says while finishing his food.

"Well you never asked me. Why you never told me, your girlfriend, that you have met legendary Pokemon like Dialga and Palkia before." Serena replies.

"I guess a truce for now?" Ash says in a surrendering gesture. Suddenly all four of them start laughing.

"You two are dating each other?" Cynthia asks them both with an expression of happiness after the laughter has subsided.

"Yup. We have known each other since childhood." Serena replies with a smile.

"What? Now you have to tell me everything." Cynthia says with excitement.

Even Diantha looks interested now. Serena happily talks away while Ash silently leans back in his chair and enjoys the atmosphere.

 **(2 hours Later)**

"I hate to break this up. But we need to go Serena. We had decided to visit Prof. Oak before we left remember." Ash says while getting up.

"Oh yeah I almost forgot. Thank you for having us Diantha and Cynthia." Serena says while getting up.

"Of course. Give Prof. Oak our regards." Cynthia and Diantha say in unison. Ash takes Serena's hand and move towards her limo.

"Well this turned out to be an interesting day." Ash said while seated in the limousine.

"Yup. To see Cynthia after almost an year was good. Not to mention meeting Valerie after 3 months." Serena replies as she relaxes in her seat while looking outside the moving car.

Ash glances at Serena. He smiles then pulls up his open window and closes his eyes for a mini nap.


	16. Rhyhorn Racing

**(20 Minutes Later)**

"Ash we are here. Wake up." Serena said loudly while shaking Ash's shoulder.

"Oh. Right. Sorry about that. Let's go." Ash says after waking up with a start.

As Ash and Serena walk towards Prof. Oak's chambers Serena sees Ash absorbed in thought.

"What is it Ash?" Serena says.

"Nothing. I was just wondering about this mega stone I got. If the mega stone doesn't go with any Pokemon on Prof. Sycamore's database the chances are that even if I find out which mega stone it is I may not have the right Pokemon to go with it." Ash says rather quietly.

"Oh don't worry. We'll figure something out." Serena says with a wink while taking Ash's hand and pulling his shoulder closer to her own.

 **(5 Minutes Later)**

"Alright here we are. Professor are you here?" Ash says while opening the door of his office.

"Nope he is not here Ashy boy." Gary says while walking in from the adjacent room holding a bunch of files.

"Where is he then Gare bear? More importantly what are you doing here?" Ash questions Gary.

"Well Gramps needed some help organizing his closet so he forced me to do it against my will. He is out at the Rhyhorn race course doing a study on the dynamics of relationship between the Rhyhorn and their racers. It is good that you are here. I could use some company. There is a lot of stuff to arrange and catalog. I have been stuck here since lunchtime." Gary replies with a sigh.

"Well as much as I am your friend but if I have to choose between spending some time with my girlfriend at the Rhyhorn race course and cleaning the professor's office. Then you know my choice." Ash says while smirking.

"Oh come on Ash. For old time sake. Don't abandon me dude." Gary says in pleading way.

"Oh Gary. Don't you remember that you were the one who taught me what to choose between a beautiful girl and a tedious job back in Kanto." Ash says while taking Serena's hand.

"Why thank you Gary for teaching Ash that. I guess I owe you one." Serena says while shutting the door on her way out.

Gary is heard groaning in frustration while both Ash and Serena walk towards the race course smothering their laughter at Gary's predicament.

"So what are you going to do with a pretty girl at the Rhyhorn race track?" Serena says in a flirtatious tone.

"I don't know you tell me." Ash says while pulling her close.

"Got any ideas?" Ash whispers in her left ear.

"Not yet. Let us keep going. We'll figure something out." Serena says while resuming walking.

Ash chuckles and follows suit.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"So this is the Rhyhorn Race track? It is huge." Ash says with amazement.

"Well Rhyhorn racing is very popular in Kalos. This is actually a small track. I see Prof. Oak there." Serena says while pointing to the other side of the track.

"Alright. Let's go." Ash says while grabbing Serena's hand and running.

"Alright. Slow down." Serena says while increasing her pace as well.

"Hey Prof." Ash shouts as he sees Oak surrounded by 3 Rhyhorn.

"Oh Hi Ash. Serena too." Oak says while waving at them.

"What are you two doing here?" Oak says after they reach him.

"Oh nothing. We were setting out on our journey tomorrow so we thought we would see you before we left." Serena says.

"Oh that so nice of you. So my boy. All set to go." Oak says while patting the Rhyhorn next to him.

"Yup. Gary told me you were doing a paper of the interpersonal dynamics of the relationship between Rhyhorn and their racers. How is it going?" Ash replies.

"Yup he is right. Well it is going fine for the moment. Still more data to be collected. More interviews to be taken." Oak says.

"So these Rhyhorn are used for racing. I wonder can I try to ride one." Ash says.

"Of course you can. If you have the will that is."

Ash and Serena turn around to see Grace standing there with a broad smile.

"Mom." Serena shouts while hugging her.

"What are you doing here?" Serena says after breaking the hug.

"Well. You are looking at the brand new Rhyhorn coach of KIP." Grace says.

"Huh. I didn't know about that." Serena says in surprise.

"Well Diantha made me the offer yesterday around dinner time. I thought about it for a while then I said yes."Grace replies.

"Wow that is so cool. Will you teach how to ride a Rhyhorn before I leave tomorrow?" Ash asks Grace in a hopeful way.

"U mm. Well the truth is one can't learn to race Rhyhorn overnight. It took me a week to get a hang of it." Grace says in an apologetic way.

"Oh come on Grace. I can do it." Ash says with a determined look.

Grace looks at Ash and then relents.

"OK fine I suppose. But you will be muddy and get hurt a little. I warn you." Grace says.

"No problem." Ash replies with a thumbs up.

"Alright then Ash. Follow me." Grace says.

"Grace do you mind if I come as well? Seeing Ash learn and the habits of Rhyhorn with a first time rider would be excellent for my research paper." Oak says.

"Of course you may professor." Grace says.

 **(A Few Minutes Later)**

"Alright Ash met Stuart. He is the gentlest Rhyhorn we have in the campus." Grace says while petting a Rhyhorn.

"Hi Stuart. I am Ash. I would like to become friends with you and race you." Ash says while bending down and caressing the Rhyhorn's cheek.

"Well normally we start off by trying to ride Skiddo. But since you are in a hurry so we start off directly on Rhyhorn. Now before we start you should know a few things about Rhyhorn. First Rhyhorn are gentle creatures but if offended they can become aggressive and violent." Grace says.

"Right." Ash replies with a nod while Oak is scribbling away whatever Grace says.

"Secondly Rhyhorn sometimes can get startled easily. So make sure you always approach the Rhyhorn slowly and gently."

Ash again nods his head.

"A Rhyhorn will only go as fast as his racer's will permits it to go. To control the Rhyhorn you must learn to think like a Rhyhorn. Be gentle yet full of Strength. Remember Rhyhorn always respect strength. If they sense your strength then they too will push themselves to race faster beyond their limit so as not to let the racer who has put his or her faith in it down."

Ash nods his head one more time.

"Alright. Serena dear just go into the shed next to the track and fetch a first aid kit. Now let us get started shall we Ash."

"Alright. Let us do this." Ash says while he walks up to Grace.

Serena shortly returns with first aid kit and water .

"Alright Ash. First you want to slowly approach the Rhyhorn from the back and place your hand on it in a reassuring manner so that it doesn't get startled." Grace says while gesturing Ash to do as she says.

"Alright now you place your foot on this joint then boost yourself up to sit like this." Grace says while demonstrating.

"OK." Ash says. He nervously tries only to realize he has put too energy into the boost up only to fall down on his head with a bang. Serena looks at him and starts laughing hysterically.

"Oh. Real mature Serena." Ash says while getting up and dusting himself with his hand.

"Well keep trying." Grace says with a smile as she reminisces Serena's Rhyhorn training.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

"Well we are finally up." Ash says while sitting on the Rhyhorn.

"And to think of it. It took only 23 falls to get up there." Oak says while chuckling to himself.

"Alright Ash. Getting up is the easy part. Now the real challenge comes." Grace says.

"OK Grace I am ready when you are." Ash replies with a thumbs up.

"Alright Ash slightly tap the Rhyhorn with your dominant foot. This is the order to indicate you want the Rhyhorn to move forward. But remember what I told you about Rhyhorn respecting strength. You have got to think like a Rhyhorn." Grace says.

"Alright here we go." Ash says in a rather nervous tune.

"Oh Oh." Serena mumbles as she knows what is going to happen.

As expected the Rhyhorn starts jumping around with Ash holding on for dear life. Seconds later is he sent flying through the air and lands on his face with a thud. Serena quickly gets up and runs towards Ash to check on him.

"I am fine. Don't worry Serena." Ash says while getting up and dusting himself.

"You were too nervous. The Rhyhorn sensed it and shook you off. Remember you have to be one with Rhyhorn. Be full of confidence and resolve." Grace says while walking towards Ash.

"Mom Ash and I start our journey tomorrow. Perhaps it would be better if you taught him after we come back from it." Serena says.

"No wait I can do this. I will have one last try." Ash says with determination.

Grace looks at him for a while then says "Alright. Go ahead."

Ash takes a deep breath. He calmly walks up to Rhyhorn and pets it. Then he takes another deep breath. He puts on his determined face and boost himself up. Ash closes his eyes for a moment as if he is mustering his will.

He opens his eyes and says "Let's do this Rhyhorn." while tapping Rhyhorn with foot.

Rhyhorn gives a loud cry before starting to run at a reasonably good pace around the track.

After completing one lap Ash pulls the reins and Rhyhorn stops. He then gets of Rhyhorn, pets it and turns around to face Grace, Serena and Prof. Oak.

"How was that?" Ash says with a feeling of pride.

"That was unbelievable Ash." Serena says while tackling him into a hug.

"Indeed well done. Very few racers do so well to get that kind of control on Rhyhorn. I remember Serena took an entire week to finally get her Rhyhorn to move like that. You have what it takes to be a Rhyhorn race Ash." Grace says while fascinating.

"Thanks for the offer but I think I enjoy being a Pokemon master more." Ash replies with a chuckle.

"Well done Ash. I think today was a very productive day for my research paper. I think we should call it a day." Oak says while standing up.

Everyone nods in agreement.

"Well you two go. I will close down the race course and will join you." Grace says while walking away.

"What do we do now Ash?" Serena says.

"Let us go on a lovely stroll. Just the two of us." Ash says while putting his arm around her waist.

"That sounds really nice." Serena says while giving Ash a peck on the cheeks.


	17. Mega Mystery

**(Next Morning in the Food Court)**

"Time for breakfast." Ash says as he sits on the table with Grace and Serena.

"These pancakes smell good." Serena says while sniffing her pancakes.

"So Ash. What is your plan? Which gym are you planning to challenge first?" Grace says while cutting her strip of fried bacon.

"Well. We will first go to Santalune city to challenge the gym there. Then from there we will go to the Cyllage city gym. This way we can drop in and see you one more time. Also I might have my exhibition battle with Cynthia then. She was itching to battle my Charizard after Serena told her that I beat Seibold's Blastoise with it." Ash says before taking a ginormous bite out of his first hamburger.

"That sounds like a good plan. That way I will get to see you really soon Serena." Grace says while sipping her orange juice.

"That is the plan. But before that we will go to Shalour city via my private jet and then we will go along with the plan Ash just told you mom." Serena says while eating a piece of her fried egg.

"What? When did this become part of the plan." Ash says in bewilderment.

"Well you remember what Prof. Sycamore told you regarding your mega stone don't you?" Serena says while taking a sip of her coffee.

Ash first looks puzzled for a moment. Then he remembers the conversation yesterday and exclaims "Oh right I totally forgot about that. Thanks Serena."

"Wait. What conversation?" Grace questions Serena.

Ash finishes his first 2 hamburgers while Serena tells Grace about Ash's mega stone problem.

"I see. So will you challenge the Shalour city gym while you are there Ash?" Grace asks Ash.

"Maybe. We shall see." Ash says while taking a sip from his lemonade. "Wait a minute Serena when did you make arrangements for the flight to Shalour city?" he asks Serena.

"Oh that. It was after you fell asleep last night. I remembered the conversation. So I called my pilot and other people and set it up. Since we will be going on my private plane. We shall be back in Lumoise city in 3-4 hours at the most." Serena replies with a smile.

"Serena. You worked very hard to reach the position of Kalos Queen. It took a lot of money to buy that plane and all the other things you own. You shouldn't spend them on me alone." Ash says with a somewhat guilty tone.

"Don't worry about that Ash. Besides at the rate you are going I can tell you will beat Diantha in no time and become the Kalos Champion. Soon you will have these things as well. Besides what good is money if you don't spend it on the ones you care about." Serena says as she gives Ash a peck on the cheeks, instantly brightening his mood.

'My my. Serena has grown up so much. Her maturity and passion has increased tremendously since he has come back into her life. Oh Arceus please keep these 2 strong and together.' Grace thinks to herself as she smiles with a few tears appearing in her eyes.

"Mom. Why are you crying? Is something wrong?" Serena asks Grace as she sees her eyes turning watery.

"No. No. It's nothing. I am just so happy at the person my daughter has grown up to become and the one who is by her side." Grace says while pulling Serena and Ash into a warm embrace.

All 3 of them smile and close their eyes in warm eternal bliss. After they separate Ash gets up. He says "Well I think I should call my mom and tell her about what has happened in the past few days. Will you excuse me Grace?"

"No need to take permission Ash. Go right ahead." Grace says with a beaming smile as she finishes her own breakfast.

"Wait Ash. I will come to. It's been a while since I spoke with Delia too." Serena says as she gets up.

"Wait a moment Serena, I need to have a quick word with you. Ash sweetheart you go on ahead. Serena and I will join you soon." Grace says while giving Ash a smile.

Ash smiles and leaves.

"What did you need to tell me mom." Serena says while sitting down.

"Oh nothing important. Just be careful and have lots of fun. You 2 are perfect for each other and Clemont is very reliable too from what I can ascertain from the past few days' interaction. Also don't forget to take your and Ash's breakfast tray."

"I will mom." Serena says with a beaming smile.

"One last thing. Did you buy protection for the journey? I know you very well. I know you and Ash will get intimate with each other whenever you get free time. So did you buy protection?" Grace says in a soft tone while ensuring no one else can hear them.

"I did. Yesterday. Don't worry I remember what you said. No unprotected sex before marriage." Serena says before getting up.

"Alright girl. Let us go then. Shall we?" Grace says while picking up her tray as well.

 **(1 hour Later)**

"Alright ma'am. All the luggage has been loaded. All the Pokemon are in their room. Pikachu and Braixen have been given Pokemon food. We shall takeoff as soon as the airport traffic authorities give us the go ahead. Is there anything you need? Food or Drink. Maybe a few films?" Serena's private air hostess says.

"Just bring some champagne and strawberries. After that some privacy." Serena says while taking out her phone.

"Of course ma'am. Right away." air hostess says before bowing and exiting.

"Wow. You sure do live in style Serena." Ash says while rolling lazily on the couch.

"One of the perks of the jobs." Serena says as she dials Clemont's number.

The phone rings for a while then suddenly Clemont picks up.

"Hey Serena. So I am all set. When do we leave?" Clemont says.

"Well there has been a slight change in plans." Serena says.

"What change in plans?" Clemont asks.

"Don't worry I will tell you everything. Just bear with me for a minute." Serena says.

After a while Clemont says "Well I understand. So after you wrap up your business in Shalour city. Just come outside Prism Tower and then give me a ring." Clemont says.

"Will do Clemont." Serena says when suddenly the door opens and the air hostess comes in with 2 glasses, 2 bottles of champagne in ice and some strawberries.

"Finally one more thing Clemont. Just inform Prof. Sycamore about this last moment change, will you? I don't want him to get worried for no reason." Serena says while signaling to the air hostess to place to eatables on the table next to her.

"I will. Have fun. Hope Ash finds out what he is looking for." Clemont says while disconnecting the call.

Suddenly a man comes through the door and whispers something into the air hostess' ear before exiting the room.

"What was that about?" Serena asks.

"Oh nothing. That was the co pilot. He told me that we will be leaving in 5 minutes. Do you require something else ma'am."

"Just peace, quiet and privacy. If you need me please speak through me via the on craft communication system." Serena says while standing up.

The air hostess bows her head and then exits the room. Serena walks up to the door and locks it. She then goes to the table and uncorks a bottle of champagne. Ash gets up and holds the 2 glasses while she fills them. After the glasses are full he hands her a glass.

They both look at each other.

"A toast. To our very first private plane ride alone." Ash says while holding up his glass.

"May we always be together." Serena says while clinking her own glass with his.

They both take a sip and then look at each other with a smile.

'Life can't be better.' they both contemplate as they peer into each other's eyes.

They are about to kiss when suddenly the pilot's voice is broadcasted throughout the entire plane.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. The flight to Shalour city will now be taking off. It will take us around half an hour to get there. Please enjoy this comfortable flight."

After the announcement Ash takes Serena's hand and goes and sits down on the couch. Then he pulls her into his lap and puts his hands around her.

"Ash you sneaky snake." Serena says while giggling.

"Do you know something Serena. Even though you are the Kalos queen. I haven't had the pleasure yet of seeing a private Pokemon performance." Ash says while kissing the nape of her neck.

"Well since we only have half an hour. I suppose I could give you a little Serena theme performance." Serena says while turning to Ash and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"That will be perfect." Ash says to Serena's flirtatious face before pressing his lips on her's. After a while they separate.

"How was that for a trailer?" Serena says in a teasing manner.

"Excellent." Ash says before being pushed onto the couch by Serena. She crawls on top of him and then they both start to make out deeply.

 **(45 Minutes Later)**

"Well Ash we will enter Shalour city within 5 minutes. The good thing is the morning low tide is there so we will be able to crossover to the gym by car. But when it will be time to return we will have to take a boat back." Serena says.

"Low tide? What are you talking about Serena?" Ash asks her.

"Oh right. You don't know. The Shalour city gym is unique in the sense that it is on an island in the bay. There are only 2 times when you can cross over to the gym on foot. The first is the morning low tide which will end in 30 minutes and the other is the evening low tide which comes around 5 in the evening and leaves at 6:30." Serena replies.

"That's interesting. What does this gym specialize in?" Ash says eagerly.

"It specializes in fighting types. People also say that the ancestors of this gym's leaders were the first ones to use and discover mega evolution. Though I don't know whether that is true or not." Serena says with a smile.

"Thanks Serena. You are awesome." Ash says while looking totally pumped for his battle.

"Aw. You are welcome Ash." Serena says with a faint blush on her cheeks. Even though they are girlfriend boyfriend and have lost their virginity to each other she still can't help but blush at Ash's complement.

A few minutes later. "Well there it." Serena says to Ash while pointing to the city next to the sea.

"So that is Shalour city. That's cool. I assume that the building in the middle of that sandy shore is the gym?" Ash says.

"Yup you are right. In half an hour the low tide will be gone and the water will again cut of the gym from the mainland till the next low tide in the evening." Serena says with a smile.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"I am Ash Ketchum the KIP Champion. I along with the Kalos Queen request an audience with Gurkinn of the Shalour Gym." Ash shouts after entering the gym while holding Serena's hand.

"Ash calm down no need to shout." Serena says.

"That's quite alright. So you are the KIP Champion huh. Korrina told me about you when she returned from the KIP initiation ceremony. You must be very strong if you beat Seibold." A fairly aged man with few strands of silver hair on a balding head says while walking down from the steps.

"So you must be Gurkinn. I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. She obviously needs no introduction. Prof. Sycamore recommended you. I need some help regarding my Mega Stone." Ash says while walking toward Gurkinn.

"Well if Sycamore sent you then this must be some special mega stone indeed. Let us take a look at it inside my laboratory." Gurkinn says as he gestures them to follow him.

After entering the laboratory both Ash and Serena glance around the laboratory in amazement.

"What is this place?" Serena says in wonder while looking at the various tools and several shelves of books.

"This is my place of work and research. This is where I study, modify and experiment on mega stones and keystones. All those tools you see help me in doing so. Furthermore those books contain all the information, experiences etc which my family has obtained while investigating mega evolution. But the prof. already has access to all this information. Anyway let us begin. Can you please show me your keystone and mega stone." Gurkinn says while opening his palm.

"Oh right. Here you go." Ash says while handing him the keystone and mega stone.

Gurkinn looks at the mega stone very carefully. Both Ash and Serena look at his intense expression while nervously glancing at each other at the same time.

"Interesting. I have never come across this mega stone in my life. This unusual hue of color is most interesting. While I investigate why don't you both go and explore the gallery of mega evolution in the gym. You will find it interesting. It consists of a lot of interesting details regarding mega evolution. It is the 2nd corridor to the left." Gurkinn says while sitting down on a desk and opening a drawer.

"Alright. Whatever you think is best." Serena says as she pulls Ash and goes outside leaving Gurkinn alone in his lab.

 **(2 hours Later)**

Ash and Serena are sitting on the bench looking pretty bored for the last hour while staring at Gurkinn's laboratory's door. Suddenly the door opens and Gurkinn comes out and gestures them to come inside. Ash and Serena immediately get up and walk over to the laboratory.

Once inside the 3 of them sit down on chairs. Gurkinn drinks water from a glass then he turns to Ash.

"I am sorry young man. But I don't know what mega stone is this. There is no record of such a stone in my archive and all the tests I have performed have proven inconclusive. Here I took the liberty of fashioning your stones into a pendant for the mega stone and key stone. I am sorry." Gurkinn says while handing Ash back his Keystone and Mega Stone.

"Oh man. We came here with such high expectations. I guess if I am meant to use this meg stone maybe I will discover it's type in the future." Ash says with disappointment.

"I am sorry. But one thing I can tell you is that it belong to a Pokemon which is a fire type." Gurkinn says with disappointment.

"How can you tell that if you don't know with which Pokemon the stone goes with.?" Ash questions Gurkinn.

"Since you told me that Prof. Sycamore was unable to determine which mega stone it is I realized that I needed to investigate this stone via traditional methods. Here take a look at these." Gurkinn says while pointing to several stones lying on the table.

"Are those mega stones?" Serena asks.

"No these are evolution stones." Gurkinn replies.

"That is alright but what do these have to do with my mega stone?" Ash asks him.

Gurkinn smiles and says "Take your mega stone and place it next to these evolution stones one by one."

"OK." Ash says as he does what Gurkinn asks.

When he places it next to thunder stone and water stone nothing happens. But when he puts it next to the fire stone red sparks are seen emanating from the fie stone to the mega stone and vice versa. Both Ash and Serena get amazed at this.

"What is that?" Serena asks Gurkinn.

"That is the interaction between a fire stone and the mega stone of a Pokemon with fie type. From past experience we have discovered that mega stone and evolution stone of the same type have interaction between them." Gurkinn replies with a smile.

"That is amazing. I didn't know that." Ash says in wonder.

"Well but I am still sorry. I can't tell you anything more. I have a few fragments of you mega stone. I will keep investigating." Gurkinn says in an apologetic way.

"Well you did the best you could. But can I have a gym battle instead?" Ash asks Gurkinn.

"That would be alright except the problem is that the gym leader my granddaughter Korrina is not here at the moment. She is right now at the Battle Chateau. So you will have to wait till she returns. But I will warn you that she may not return for a day or two." Gurkinn says.

"Well we can't wait that long. Thank you for the help sir and for the pendants." Ash says while bowing.

"You are welcome young man. It was my pleasure."

"Let's go Serena. Call the boat." Ash says.

"I will but before that I have a question for Gurkinn that is if you don't mind?" Serena says.

"I have no problems. Fire away young lady." Gurkinn says.

"Can my Braixen mega evolve?" Serena says.

"No it can't. Mega evolution only happens after the Pokemon has reached it's final evolution stage according to my experience. After your Braixen evolves into a Delphox then it can mega evolve." Gurkinn replies.

"I see. Any idea where I can find a Delphoxite?" Serena questions Gurkinn in a hopeful manner.

"Hmm. Wait let me think." Gurkinn says while closing his eyes for a moment.

A few moment later he says "I don't know exactly where you can find Delphoxite but I do know a trainer who found it by accident and mega evolved his Delphox. I will contact him and find out where he found it. You should be able to find Delphoxite there without any problem. Usually with mega stones generally several mega stones of the same type are located in the same are due to the similar conditions of heat, pressure, composition of soils etc. in the same area. That is one of the reasons why mega stones of Pokemon native to a region have only been found in that particular region."

"Alright. Could you find out for me please?" Serena says.

"Of course. I will." Gurkinn replies.

"Thank you so much sir. Here is my number. If you wish to inform me that is." Serena says while handing Gurkinn her card.

"Of course. Why thank you I am honored to receive the Kalos Queen's number herself. Korrina will be thrilled." Gurkinn says.

"Well we do need to get going now. Thank you for your help sir." Serena says before turning to the door.

"Wait a minute. Before you go take this." Gurkinn says as he open a drawer and hands Serena a keystone pendant.

"Oh Mr. Gurkinn I can't possibly accept this. How much do you want for this. I will pay you." Serena says.

"Oh no. You don't lady. Me and my grand daughter have followed your showcases since your career began. You have graced our gym with your presence. That is more than sufficient payment." Gurkinn says while bowing his head.

Serena unwillingly takes the keystone pendant. She smiles at Gurkinn's kindness and says "If you ever need anything. Please don't hesitate to call me."

Gurkinn smiles and says "Let me walk you till the jetty."

"Thank you." Serena says as she takes out her phone and calls for a boat pickup.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

"Well this morning turned out to be quite interesting. Don't you think so?" Serena says while admiring her keystone pendant.

"Yup it was. But still the identity of this stone still eludes us. I guess only time will tell whether I will uncover the identity of this mysterious mega stone." Ash responds with a sigh.

"Oh come on Ash. Don't be in such a mood. We will be in Lumiose city within the hour. Let us eat lunch now." Serena says while gesturing to the food served on the table.

Ash looks at the food and his mood lightens up.

"You are right. Worrying about this won't do anything. Let us eat." Ash says in his enthusiastic tone.

"That's more like the Ash I know." Serena says while giggling.

"Thanks you so much babe. From the plane travel to sticking with me." Ash says while giving Serena a kiss on the lips.

"Oh you are welcome honey." Serena says before going in for a second kiss.

"As much as I would love kissing you but the food is getting cold. I say we first eat and then kiss." Ash replies after breaking off from her.

"Alright then. Lets eat." Serena says while agreeing with Ash.


	18. Start of the Journey

**(Outside Prism Tower)**

"Well. You guys made it back. How was it? Did you find what you were looking for?" Clemont asks Ash.

"Nope. Even Gurkinn doesn't know with which Pokemon this mega stone goes with. Only thing he did tell us that it goes with a fire type." Ash says with a disappointed face.

"Oh don't worry. I am sure you will figure it out in the future." Serena says as she gives Ash a kiss on the cheek.

Suddenly Bonnie walks out with Dedenne and greets Ash and Serena.

"See that Clemont. You should learn something from these 2 and get yourself a girlfriend." Bonnie says while smirking.

"Bonnie. I told you that is none of your business." Clemont shouts in embarrassment.

"Don't worry big brother. I will soon find you a keeper." Bonnie says while winking and walking back into the gym.

Clemont goes red in embarrassment while Ash and Serena laugh at Clemont's reaction. Finally after a while Clemont speaks up.

"Well. Let us get going. So how are we travelling?" Clemont asks.

"By foot of course." Ash says.

"But Ash we can't go all the journey on foot. Sometimes I will need to go for exhibition performances or rookie class judging. I think we should go in my limousine." Serena remarks.

"How about this then? Serena's car can come along with us. Whenever we feel like walking we will walk and camp. In other situations we will go in her car. How does that sound?" Clemont says.

"That will be perfect Clemont. That way we shall get both the experience of a journey and solve Serena's problem. You really are a genius Clemont." Ash remarks.

"Alright then let's go." Serena says.

"Wait a moment guys. First we need to call Prof. Sycamore. He told me to tell you to call him as soon as you came back." Clemont says while dialing Sycamore's number.

After a few rings a voice comes out of the phone speakers.

"Sycamore here. May I know who is speaking?"

"Prof. It's me Clemont. You wanted to talk with Ash and Serena. Well they are here. Please speak." Clemont replies.

"Well first of all I know what happened in the Shalour Gym. Gurkinn called me as soon as you guys left. I wish to tell you that he and I will investigate your mega stone together till we get some results."

"Thank you Prof. that means a lot to me." Ash replies.

"Also one more thing. Since you are the KIP champion. Your Pokemon carrying limit has been increased to 20 Pokemon. Out of which 5 Pokemon you need to catch in your journey throughout the Kalos region. The remaining 15 including your Pikachu and Froakie will consist of the remaining 15. Your Pokemon are all in my Lumiose city lab. So go there and pick your Pokemon. Remember you can carry 20 Pokemon at a time but you must obey all the rules of the gyms you challenge when it comes to the number of Pokemon you need to select beforehand and use there during a gym or a league battle."

"Right Prof. I will head over to the lab right now."

"Finally Ash one more thing. You will need to come back to KIP in 3 days time. Diantha and I require your and Serena's presence."

"What for? Anything serious or important Prof.?" Serena says in a concerned tone.

"Nothing serious but definitely important. Now go to my lab and best of luck on your journey."

"Thanks Prof. We will be back. Signing of now." Ash says while disconnecting the call.

"Well that was interesting. Wonder what is happening in 3 days' time?" Serena says.

"Not a clue." Ash remarks.

"Since we need to comeback in 3 days and it will take almost a day's walk to Santalune city I guess we will be better of going in Serena's car."

"But if we go in a car it will kinda ruin the feeling of the journey." Ash remarks rather unhappily.

"Alright why don't we do this. We will walk to Santalune city. On our way back we shall come by car." Serena says while calling her driver.

"Yup that way I shall get to catch a few Pokemon before my match in the Santalune city gym." Ash says.

A few moments later the car stops in front of them. They all get in and the car drives towards Prof Sycamore's lab.

"Any idea which Pokemon you will choose for your 15?" Clemont says.

"Well I do have some favorites that are definitely coming. But I think I should have a balance between all possible Pokemon types as possible. Like a few fire a few water a few grass etc. What do you think Clemont?" Ash questions Clemont.

"My thoughts exactly. Cover as many types as possible. Though I would definitely recommend keeping psychic, ghost, poison , normal and fighting types. Other types even if one or two you don't have you should be able to pull through." Clemont replies with a smile.

"Thanks for the advice I shall keep that in mind." Ash says while turning around to look outside the window.

A few minutes later the car comes to a halt.

Ash gets out of the car and says "Wait for me here. I shall make my decision and come back in a while." before running into the lab.

"Since you are bringing more Pokemon. I will go and buy more food for the road." Clemont says while getting out as well.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

"Alright guys let's go." Ash says as he comes out of the lab with his selections inside their Poke balls.

He sees Clemont and Serena still inside the limousine.

"What happened? Come on come out let us start with our journey." Ash says enthusiastically.

"We will come out. But only when the car reaches the outskirts of Lumoise city." Serena says.

"Why? I thought we agreed to walk to Santalune city together." Ash says in a rather cross tone.

"We did. But if I walk with you inside a major city the people will surround us both and hound us. Do you think you want that Ash?" Serena says in a firm tone.

"I hate to say this but Serena does have a point. It will be a PR nightmare if the media found out that the KIP Champion and Kalos Queen are on a journey together." Clemont says in a calm and composed tone.

"Oh crap. I guess you are right. Alright let us go then." Ash says as he enters the limousine while reminiscing the horde outside Seibold's restaurant.

"Harry drive us to the outskirts of Lumiose city and drop us on the direct route to Santalune city. Then I expect you to take the car to Santalune city and wait for us till we arrive there." Serena says.

"As you wish Serena." Harry says as he puts the pedal on the gas.

 **(2 hours later)**

"This is so nice. Just like the old days. No responsibilities. No schedules to follow. Just the journey and the battles." Ash says while stretching his arms and breathing in the fresh air.

"Indeed. I can't help but agree. Journeying on foot may be tiring but sure is a lot of fun. No press. No reporters. No burdens." Serena says as she walks beside Ash.

"I must say. This is nice. To walk through the road in the middle of nature is sure to be good for one's health. So tell us Ash which Pokemon did you bring?" Clemont says.

"You will see when time for food comes." Ash replies.

 **(4 hours later)**

"Alright guys time for food. Everyone come on out." Ash says while tossing all of his Poke-balls.

"Oh my god Ash I didn't know you had so many different types of Pokemon from so many different regions!" Clemont says in excitement.

"Come I will introduce you to them region by region." Ash says while taking Clemont's hand.

"This is my Kanto group. Charizard, Muk, Haunter & Pikachu." Ash says while gesturing to them.

"Then followed by Snorlax from the Orange Islands."

"After that Heracross & Noctowl from the Johto region."

"Then Glalie and Sceptile from the Hoenn region."

"Then we have Torterra, Infernape, Gible, Gliscor & Buizel from the Sinnoh region."

"Finally Froakie from the Kalos region."

Both Clemont and Serena look in awe at the various strong Pokemon from various regions. Clemont is the first one to recover.

"Well you have fire, water, normal, ground, ice, grass, ghost, psychic, flying, poison, bug & dragon types covered. I'm beyond impressed. No wonder you are the KIP champion."

"Of course. He is my boyfriend after all. This is actually nothing. Wait till you here this. Ash has met legendary Pokemon from all the regions he has traveled in." Serena says in a showing of manner.

Clemont's jaw drops after hearing the last sentence.

"Wow Ash. You need to tell me about all those encounters please." Clemont says in a begging manner.

"I will, but before that can you give everyone their food. They are all kinda hungry." Ash says. Suddenly a growl comes from his stomach as well. He sweat drops at that weird moment.

"Make that him and me as well." Serena says while putting her arms around Ash's waist.

"Alright I guess. We can set up camp here and then continue tomorrow. Either way this looks like a good place to set up camp. Also the sun will set within a matter of moments." Clemont says.

"That sounds like a good idea. I will help you." Ash says while agreeing.

After everyone had eaten Ash, Pikachu, Serena and Clemont sat by the fire while listening to Ash's stories about his journeys in Kanto, Johto, Hoeen, Sinnoh and the Orange Islands.

After their eyelids were heavy with sleep the three decide to call it a night. Ash and Serena go into their own tent while Clemont goes in his tent. Ash and Serena snuggle with each other. Before they know it they both fall asleep.

 **(Meanwhile in the Kanto Region)**

"Well son we are finally here." Giovanni says while getting out of the car followed by Calem.

"So this is headquarters dad? I must say I am impressed. What kind of facilities do you have dad?" Calem says with inquisitiveness.

"Oh don't worry. I will give you a personalized tour myself. Besides after me all this will be yours. Soon we shall rule the world. Father and Son as one." Giovanni says while putting his hand around Calem's shoulders.

"Yes dad. I can't wait to get my revenge." Calem says while walking into Team Rocket Headquarters with his father.


	19. Totally Bugged Out

**(Next Afternoon)**

"Alright guys we are finally here. Look there it is, Santalune city." Ash says while pointing to the city located just across the hill in front of them.

"That's right Ash. Did you know the Santalune gym specializes in bug type Pokemon?" Clemont says.

"Yup. Serena told me. Why do you think I caught Fletchling this morning? A Fire and Flying type has the advantage against a bug type. Alright time to go and get my very first Kalos gym badge." Ash says while running with Serena behind him.

"Guys no need to run. No matter how fast you go Santalune Gym will not change it's place." Clemont says in an unhappy tone at the prospect of having to run again.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

Ash , Serena & Clemont enter the Santalune city in Serena's limousine.

"I must say Clemont having a car makes anonymity much easier. This way I won't get swamped by my fans the moment I enter a city." Serena says.

"Thanks it was actually nothing." Clemont says while feeling relieved that they were back in the car and not running anymore.

A few moments later the car comes to a halt and all 3 of them then enter the Gym.

"I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet town. I request a gym battle with the gym leader of this town." Ash announces as he enters the gym.

Suddenly a Heleoptile jumps onto him and starts nuzzling him with a woman following it.

"Hey Heleoptile. Hey Alexa. Long time no see." Ash says while petting Heleoptile.

"Hey Ash. It's good to see you too. I was wondering when you were going to come here. Honestly I thought you would come here sooner." Alexa says while Heleoptile jumps on her shoulder.

"Well I guess the past few days have been busy. So where is your sister and what have you been doing since you came back?" Ash questions Alexa.

"Well, my sister is at the moment shopping. But she will return shortly. Why don't we wait inside? By the way who are these two?" Alexa asks Ash.

"Well this is Clemont. He is the Lumiose city Gym leader. My girlfriend of course need no introduction." Ash says as Serena takes of her hat and sunglasses which she is wearing as a disguise.

Alexa is dumbstruck at the fact that the Kalos Queen herself is in her sister's gym. She then gets excited and starts jumping around in joy.

"Oh My God. You are the freaking Kalos Queen. You are Ash's girlfriend. How did you two get together? I must take your interview. Will you let me please. I am a huge fan." Alexa says in a begging way.

"I think we should continue this inside." Ash says while attempting to hold back his laughter at Alexa's reaction.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

"You beat Seibold. That is unbelievable. I can't believe that Diantha would make you the offer of becoming the next elite four. Will you please please let me take your interview." Alexa says with puppy dog eyes.

"Fine we will but I don't get it. It has been all over the news that Ash and I are dating. How come you don't know about it?" Serena asks Alexa.

"Oh well the thing is that immediately after I came back from Kanto I left for the wetlands in the Kalos region. Since then I have been there covering an the dynamics of a wetlands ecosystem for my magazine. I just got back yesterday. So I haven't caught up with the news till now." Alexa replies in a rather embarrassed way.

"Well. We both will give you the interview you want but you will not include anything about my journey with Ash and Clemont or the offer Ash has been made by Diantha. These are top secret stuff. I am sure you don't want make Diantha unhappy with an article containing all these things. I hope you understand." Serena replies.

"Of course." Alexa says as she switches on her tape recorder.

"So what do you want to know?" Ash asks Alexa.

"How about Serena tell me about how you two first met each other?" Alexa asks Serena.

"Well it was a very long time ago but the memory of that day is still crystal clear in my mind. It was 15 years ago ..." Serena begins.

 **(40 Minutes Later)**

"Wow. This will make a great article. So many spicy details. My magazine will sell out like hot cakes." Alexa says while switching off her tape recorder.

"Thank you so much Serena. I am in your debt." Alexa says.

"Of course. I will expect a copy of that recording before the interview comes out." Serena says.

"Don't worry right away. You will get the copy before you leave Santalune city. I give you my word." Alexa says as she hears the main door open and close.

"Looks like my sister is back. I think it is time for your gym battle Ash." Alexa says while getting up and walking towards the door.

"Hey Viola you have a challenger. The KIP champion has come to challenge this gym for the bug badge." Alexa says while greeting her sister.

"Well as much as I would like to battle my stomach is killing me. I need to eat something." Viola says as she puts all the groceries down on the counter.

"OK. Time to prepare lunch I guess." Alexa says while walking to the counter.

"Don't worry I will help." Clemont says as he walks over to help Alexa.

"Thanks Clemont. While these 2 prepare lunch. Why don't the 3 of us prepare the table and have a talk. After all it's not everyday you get the Kalos queen and the KIP champion who beat an elite four in the gym." Viola says while walking towards Ash.

"Unlike your sister you seem to know that Ash is the KIP champ." Serena says.

"Of course. I was a the initiation ceremony after all. Remember? I was sitting next to Ramos in the VIP box." Viola reminds Serena.

"Oh. Right. Of course. How absent minded of me." Serena face palms herself.

"I saw that Charizard of yours that beat Seibold's Blastoise. I bet you will use it today." Viola says while turning to Ash.

"Well. Of course. I am here to win my badge after all." Ash replies.

"Just because you beat Seibold. Don't expect me to go easy on you." Viola says.

"Of course not. Actually I would prefer it that way only." Ash says while smiling.

"Come let us go and stand on the balcony. The wind is very soothing." Viola says while getting up.

Ash and Serena follow suit.

A few moments later.

"You are right. The air up here is so refreshing. Lovely." Ash says while stretching his hands.

Both Serena and Viola smile at him when suddenly Viola notices the Keystone pendant around his neck.

"So Ash it would seem you now use mega evolution too since you have a keystone pendant. Where is you mega stone pendant?" Viola asks Ash.

"Well I do have a mega stone but no one knows with which Pokemon the pendant goes with." Ash says while bringing out the mega pendant from his pocket and showing it to Viola.

"Wow. A rather mysterious pendant. What are the odds?" Viola says while looking at the pendant in Ash's palm.

Suddenly a rather powerful gust of wind comes and the mega pendant blows off with it.

"Oh no." Ash shouts as he jumps of the balcony while chasing after the floating mega pendant.

He catches it soon but not before tripping in front of fountain and landing inside it with a splash. When he gets up ,drenching wet, he sees Serena and Viola laughing at his condition.

Upon seeing them he gives a goofy grin while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. Suddenly he gets out of the fountain with his mega stone when he looks at another person staring at him with curiosity.

"A rather curious way to enter a fountain I must say." he says.

"U mm. Actually I was just running after this mega stone. It got carried away by the wind." Ash replies.

"I see. Careless and clumsy at the same time. What an interesting combination. I bet you are a Pokemon trainer." he replies.

"Hey who are you calling clumsy? I will let you know that I am the KIP Champion and I will be the greatest Pokemon master in the history of Pokemon." Ash replies with a fierceness.

"Is that so?" he replies softly.

"Yup. This is the mega stone I got at my KIP initiation ceremony." Ash says while holding up his mega stone.

The man's eyebrows widen when he sees the mega stone. His expression then relaxes and he says "Mega evolution is no child's play. It is not something that a child should have. Especially that mega stone."

"What did you say? Stop calling me a child." Ash responds angrily.

"Your childish outburst says otherwise." the man softly says before smirking.

Ash loses all his temper and says "That's it. I challenge you to Pokemon battle. So that when I win I shall swipe that smug grin of your face."

"I don't battle with children." the man says while turning around and walking away.

Ash is gnashing his teeth in rage when Viola and Serena in her disguise come running up to him.

"Ash what happened? Why are you so angry?" Serena says.

Ash takes a deep breath then says "Nothing important. Just some jerk. Let's go back inside. I am hungry."

"OK. If you say so." Viola says.

However they don't know that the man is watching them from behind a tree. He looks at Ash, Serena and Viola as they walk back into the gym.

"Interesting. Very Interesting." he says before walking away.

 **(40 minutes Later)**

"Alright. The match between Ash the KIP champion and Viola the Santalune city gym leader will now begin. This will be a two on two battle. Only the challenger is allowed to substitute. Alright trainers bring out your first Pokemon." referee shouts.

"Alright Surskit I choose you." Viola says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Come on out Charizard." Ash shouts while tossing his Poke-ball.

Both Viola and Surskit sweat drop at the display of power given of by Charizard.

"I hope you are ready Viola." Ash says while taunting.

"You may have won against Seibold but I will fight with everything I have before giving you the bug badge." Viola says.

"Alright Surskit use bubble beam." Viola commands.

"Charizard use flamethrower." Ash coolly commands.

The flamethrower easily overpowers the bubble beam.

"Surskit dodge it." Viola says. Surskit barely manages to dodge the flamethrower.

'What power ! Need to come up with something different.' Viola thinks to herself.

"Alright Surskit use Rain Dance then use Ice beam on the battlefield." Viola commands.

"Charizard use Dragon Claw and Aerial Ace." Ash shouts.

Charizard lets out a roar before moving towards Surskit at high pace. Surskit is soon sent flying through the air.

"Don't give in Surskit. Use Signal beam." Viola commands.

The signal beam connects but Charizard stands unfazed by the attack.

"Don't you know that bug type moves won't work so well on a fire type like Charizard." Ash says before ordering another dragon claw.

"Keep it at bay. Use sticky web." Viola commands.

"Charizard dodge them all. Finish this with blast burn." Ash counters.

Soon an explosion takes place and Surskit is on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Surskit is unable to battle. This round goes to the challenger. Your next Pokemon please." Referee says.

"Alright way to go Ash." Serena says while clapping. Even Clemont claps.

"With a fire and flying type Ash has a huge advantage over bug type Pokemon." Clemont says.

"True. But don't underestimate my sister. She knows how to put up a fight." Alexa says.

"Surskit return. You battled very well now take a good rest." Viola says as she recalls Surskit to its Poke-ball.

"Charizard return. Fletchling let's go." Ash says while tossing Fletchling's Poke-ball.

"Vivillon let's go." Viola says while tossing her last choice.

"Alright I will go first. Fletchling use aerial ace." Ash commands.

"Vivillon use Psychic and stop it in it's tracks. Then slam it into the ground." Viola counters.

"Fletchling get up then use steel wing." Ash commands.

"Vivillon dodge it." Viola says. Vivillon doges it but it's left wing gets gaze by the attack.

"That's it Fletchling go in with another steel wing." Ash says.

"Vivillon let it get close then use Gust." Viola shouts.

"Oh no. Fletchling watch out." Ash shouts to no avail as Fletchling gets slammed on the ground.

"Fletchling get up then use Razor wind. I know you can do it." Ash shouts.

"Vivillon use sleep powder then finish it of with solar beam." Viola smirks.

After a few moments.

"Fletchling is unable to battle. Vivillon wins. Challenger please bring out your other Pokemon." referee says.

'So that Vivillon can use Psychic and Sleep powder. Better be careful.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Charizard finish this." he says while tossing the Poke-ball.

"Vivillon use Psychic." Viola orders.

"Charizard use smoke screen to escape." Ash counters.

"Vivillon use gust to blow the smoke away." Viola commands.

"Bad move Viola. Go in with Aerial Ace and Wing Attack." Ash smirks as Vivillon gets hit by that effective attack.

"Vivillon use sleep powder. Followed by draining kiss." Viola counters.

"Charizard spin while using flamethrower to create a fire tornado as a barrier. Then use Fire Spin to finish it off." Ash says.

The sleep powder gets burned away. Then Vivillon gets covered by the fire spin causing an explosion. After the smoke clears Vivillon is on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Vivillon is unable to battle. Which means Ash the challenger wins." the referee announces.

"You fought well Vivillon. Take a good rest." Viola says while returning Vivillon to it's Poke-ball.

"Well fought Ash. That was very nice. Especially the tactic to use Smoke Screen to escape Psychic. I must remember that." Clemont says.

"Indeed well done." Viola says. Then she picks up a badge and hands it to Ash. "Here you go. The proof of your victory in the Santalune city gym. The bug badge."

"Thanks Viola." Ash says while accepting the bug badge.

"1 down." Ash says.

"7 to go." Serena completes his sentence for him as she hugs him.

"So where are you going next? The Cyllage city is the next best choice." Alexa says.

"Yup that is the plan. We will however stop by KIP o our way there." Clemont says.

Suddenly Clemont's holocaster starts glowing ad ringing.

"What is it Clemont?" Serena asks while pointing to the holocaster.

"Someone is calling us. Let's see." Clemont says as he pushes a button on the holocaster.

The holocaster floats in mid air ad then a beam of light comes out from it showing a display screen. Suddenly Diantha's and Prof. Sycamore's face comes into focus.

"Hello Diantha. Hello Prof. Sycamore. What happened why are you calling us right now?" Ash says.

"Hello Ash. Hello Viola and Alexa. Good to see you all doing so well. So Ash update me on your progress?" Diantha says.

"Well good so far. I got the bug badge." Ash says while showing it to Diantha.

"Good. You are making good progress. How are Serena and Clemont doing?" Sycamore asks.

"We are fine." Both reply in unison.

"Good. That's good. Now listen carefully. The reason why we called you is this. Ash do you remember Brandon and the other frontier brains?" Sycamore questions Ash.

"Yup. I do. Why?" Ash replies.

"Nothing. The fact is that Brandon is coming to Kalos tomorrow morning. Some new ruins have been discovered in west Kalos which he is going to explore. The battle pyramid will be coming to KIP tomorrow. Furthermore not just Brandon but all the other frontier brains will be coming as well. During the course of their stay in Kalos they will be staying in KIP as my honored guests. This will prove to be an excellent opportunity for students to gain good experience. Why it might even result in the creation of a frontier culture in the Kalos region. They will be arriving tomorrow morning. There is grand welcoming ceremony in their honor. Your and Serena's presence at the ceremony is requested at the highest level. Several high ranking officials from the Kalos govt. shall be coming as well. I need you and Serena back here as soon as possible." Diantha says.

"Also Serena, Palermo told us that you have been working on a new performance routine. Is that true?" Sycamore asks Serena.

"Yup. The routine is actually finished. Why do you ask?" Serena replies.

"Well what about an exhibition performance? Will that be too much to ask for?" Diantha asks Serena.

"No no. Not at all. Fine I will do it." Serena says while giving Diantha a thumbs up.

"Marvelous. We need you, Ash and Alexa in KIP as soon as possible OK." Sycamore replies in an ecstatic state.

"Me and Serena makes sense. Why Alexa?" Ash asks him.

"Oh right. I forgot you didn't know. Alexa and I have known each other for a quite a long time. She was the one who took my first interview back when I wasn't even a champion. Ever since we both have been good friends. She will handle the press coverage of the event." Diantha says.

"Alright then. The four of us shall leave for Lumiose city as soon as possible in Serena's Limousine. We should be there by nightfall." Clemont replies.

"Good. Both of us look forward to seeing you again." Sycamore says before signing off.

"Well that is an interesting development. I guess Serena it's time to call Harry." Ash says.

"And I better get all my equipment." Alexa says while rushing to her office.

Serena nods and takes out her phone.


	20. A Welcome to Behold

**(Next Morning)**

"Ash wake up. We need to go and meet Diantha in 1 hour." Serena says as she shakes Ash.

"Babe. 5 more minutes." Ash says while keeping his eyes closed.

"Oh come on. Get up." Serena says.

"You are no fun." Ash mumbles as he pulls Serena onto the bed then into a tight hug and rolls on the bed while not letting her go.

"Ash ,you pervert, let me go." Serena says while giggling.

Ash shakes his head with a smile while indicating he has no intention of releasing her.

"Oh well. I guess you can sleep for 5 minutes." Serena says while giving Ash a peck on the cheek.

"That's my girl." Ash mumbles while pulling her closer till they are practically snuggling with each other.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

"Hey Ash and Serena. Did you guys get a good night's sleep. How are my 2 lovebirds doing?" Grace says while drinking her lemon tea.

"Well we arrived a little late. So I guess we slept fine." Serena says while sitting down and opening her yogurt.

"Well I got the Bug Badge Grace." Ash says while pulling out his badge case and showing it to her.

"Good. Well done. I guess next stop is Cyllage gym for you two."

"Yup. But today we have to be here. For the welcoming ceremony." Ash says while taking a bite out of his Croissant.

"What welcoming ceremony?" Grace questions Ash.

"Well I would love to tell you but we need to meet Diantha in exactly 20 minutes. Why don't you come with us? I am sure Diantha won't mind." Serena says while eating her Chocolate Eclair.

"If you say so." Grace says while simply shrugging her shoulders as she gets up to deposit her tray.

 **(In Sycamore's Office)**

"Hey Alexa, Diantha, Cynthia and Prof. Sycamore." Ash says while walking in with Grace and Serena.

"Hi Ash. Sleep well?" Alexa asks Ash.

"Like a log." Ash replies.

"Good to see you all nice and rested. Now we don't have much time before the battle pyramid arrives. So the welcoming ceremony will consist of the following parts." Diantha says before pausing for a moment.

"First we shall welcome all the important Govt. officials and Dignitaries who will be coming to attend the function. There will be a speech that will be given by me. However I shall need someone to coordinate the entire process of confirming and reporting the presence of all the people who arrive and leave. Anyone up for the task?" Diantha says.

"Well I could do it." Serena says.

"You could but you need to focus on your performance. It will be one of the highlight events of today. It will be unfortunate if something goes wrong." Diantha replies.

"I have a suggestion Diantha." Sycamore interrupts.

"What is it Augustine?" Diantha questions.

"This is something that Grace can handle easily. What do you think? That way others will be free to concentrate on their part. Do you have any problem Grace?" Sycamore says.

"Not at all. If that's OK with Diantha." Grace replies.

"That shall be excellent. After this meeting is over I will have Cathy tell you what to do." Diantha says while Grace nods.

"Well that settles that. Now for the next part. That is the performance which will be done by Serena. Serena are you ready with it?" Diantha asks.

"Yup I am." Serena replies with a thumbs up.

"Good. After this meeting is over Sycamore and I would like to see it. Do you have any problems?" Diantha says.

"Of course not." Serena says while nodding.

"Good. Now come the exhibition battles." Diantha says with a more stern expression.

Ash's eyebrows widen when he hears battles instead of battle.

"Since several govt. officials and other dignitaries are coming over this visit presents a unique opportunity for KIP to further improve as an institution. The first exhibition battle will be between me and Brandon. We shall face off in a 3 on 3 battle. Regardless of the outcome if Brandon's skills impress the Kalos Govt. officials we should be able to convince them to invest in the prospect of a Kalos battle frontier. This new venture shall open up countless opportunities for KIP students. Why if this venture becomes a success then who knows several of the frontier brains may be KIP graduates." Diantha says before taking a sip of water.

Everyone in the room gives a nod of approval.

"Now the second battle will be between Ash and Cynthia. This will be a one on one battle due to the fact that we also need to serve lunch to the guests. So we won't have time for a bigger battle." Diantha says.

"Me vs Cynthia!" Ash says with a feeling of shock.

"Yes. You. Why do you have any problem? Last time we met you were itching to battle her. Now you don't want to?" Diantha asks in a puzzled tone.

"No no. It's not that. Don't get me wrong. I would love to battle Cynthia. It's just that I didn't expect to do it in front of Kalos Govt. officials and the Battle frontier brains." Ash says while scratching the back of his head with a little nervousness.

"That's alright Ash. Well the thing is that news spread quickly that you managed to beat Seibold's mega evolved Blastoise with a Pokemon with a type disadvantage and no mega evolution. When the Govt. officials heard this they requested me to allow them to see your skill with their own eyes first hand. As the Champion of the Kalos region I couldn't refuse." Diantha replies.

"Well sure. No problem I will do it. It seems your Garchomp's wish of battling my Charizard will come true after all. " Ash says while making a determined fist.

"I look forward to it. But don't expect me to go easy on you." Cynthia says while smiling.

"Do I ever?" Ash replies in an equally cool yet fierce tone.

"Keep all this battle fire for later. You two. Anyway after all the matches will be over we will need to serve lunch to the guest. Augustine will oversee lunch preparations." Diantha says while getting up.

"So everyone clear on what they all have to do?" Diantha says.

Everyone in the room nods.

"Very well. Ash and Cynthia you may leave to prepare for your matches. Grace you go with Cathy who is waiting outside the office. Serena you come with me and Prof." Diantha says while taking out her phone and heading towards the door.

 **(1 Hour Later)**

"Good morning KIP. I am your Champion Diantha. Welcome to today's celebration." Diantha says only to be greeted by a ton of applause and cheer from the stands.

"Today we have gathered here to welcome certain very special guests from the Kanto region. They are none other than the Kanto Battle Frontier Brains themselves. For all those who may not know. The battle frontier is a system which is very similar to gyms in the Kanto region. Each Battle facility is run by a frontier brain and has its own specialization. These frontier brains are incredibly skilled. They are almost said to be at the same level as the elite four of the Pokemon championships. In fact your own KIP champion is one of the few people who has successfully completed all the Battle Frontier Challenges and therefore is already a part of the Kanto Battle Frontier Hall of Fame." Diantha says before pausing. Many whispers can be heard in the stands.

"But before we welcome them it is time to first introduce certain important officials from our own beloved Kalos Govt. and the Pokemon Championship League. First up we have the President of the Pokemon League, the one and only Charles Goodshow." Diantha says while gesturing to an old white bearded man who comes into view after being raised by an elevating platform.

"Next up we have the Minister of Pokemon Battling from the Kalos Govt. ..." Diantha continues.

 **(5 minutes Later)**

"Now that we have welcomed all these people please join me in welcoming your very own elite four." Diantha says while gesturing to Malva, Wikstrom, Seibold and Drasna. There is again a lot of cheer in the crowd.

"Also give a warm welcome to your very own headmaster, Prof. Sycamore." Diantha says before pausing again.

After the cheering subsides.

"Now that we have welcomed all these people who have very graciously agreed to grace this event with their presence please join me in welcoming the Kanto Frontier brains." Diantha says before pausing.

"First up we have the head of the battle factory. Also one of the few trainers who has actually trained one of the legendary birds Articuno. Give a warm welcome to Noland." Diantha says as Noland comes into view. The crowd cheers as they hear Articuno's name.

"Next up we have the fighting type specialist. The tycoon of the Battle arena. The one and only Greta." Diantha says as Greta comes into view in a fighting stance.

"Then we have the master of combination moves. The Battle Dome ace Tucker." Tucker comes into view. Many girls in the stands go wild.

"After this we have Battle Pike Queen. The one who specializes in Serpentine Pokemon. Queen Lucy." Diantha says as Lucy comes into focus. In the stands Brock has 2 hearts popping out of his eyes.

"Now we have the one who is one with nature. The Palace Maven Spenser." Spenser comes into view.

"Then we have Salon maiden Anabel who is well known for being able to talk with Pokemon." Anabel comes into view.

"Finally we have the Battle Pyramid King himself. The world famous Pokemon Archaeologist. The one and only Brandon." Diantha shouts as Brandon comes into view. In the stands Paul is irritated because he couldn't beat Brandon on his second try as well.

"Now we have the man who has made the Battle Frontier a reality and the one who runs it, Scott." Diantha says as Scott comes into view.

"Finally I have one very special guest to welcome. My close friend. The Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia." Diantha shouts as Cynthia comes into view. The crowd erupts in cheer and applause at her presence.

Soon all the people except Brandon and Diantha leave the stage and go sit in the VIP box.

"So Brandon. Before we get started with the celebrations would you like to say a few words to our young audience?" Diantha says while handing over the mike to Brandon.

"Thank you for that introduction Champion Diantha. I am honored to be here in this prestigious institution and am overwhelmed at the cheer & hospitality given by the members of this institution." Brandon says while giving a bow.

Diantha and everyone else claps at Brandon's words. Then she gestures everyone to calm down.

After the cheering has subsided Brandon says "We at the Battle Frontier believe that the journey of an individual in the ways of the Pokemon can only yield result if the individual works hard. Every individual is unique therefore style is unique. The important thing to remember is never to quit without giving sufficient tries at an obstacle. It was with this very belief that the Battle Frontier was started by Scott almost 13 years back."

"Every Frontier Brain you face gives a different challenge. Every attempt you make to get past that challenge results in you growing not just as trainer but as a person as well. Remember this whenever you walk the Pokemon path. Walk with integrity and courage. Walk without fear and with brimming confidence no matter how hard the obstacle. Do this and you will eventually succeed. Thank you." Brandon says in his commanding voice while handing the mike back to Diantha and walking towards the VIP Box.

"Thank you very much Brandon for your wise words of wisdom. Now without further ado let us get started with today's celebration." Diantha says while handing the mike back to the KIP announcer and walking off towards the VIP Box.

 **(5 Minutes Later)**

"Alright KIP are you ready." The announcer shouts as the stands erupt in cheer.

"So without further ado. Presenting a special performance from your very own Kalos Queen Serena." Announcer shouts as the crowd goes ecstatic.

 **(In the Stands)**

"Young man. Good to see you." Brandon says in his strapping voice while greeting Ash.

"Thanks Brandon. It is good to see all of you after a long time as well." Ash says while gesturing to all the frontier brains.

"So what are we going to be watching?" Brandon asks Ash.

"Well you shall see my girlfriend put up a Pokemon performance for you." Ash says while smiling.

"You have a girlfriend now. My my someone has grown up." Scott says while smirking.

"Yeah you could say that. But for the time being let us focus on the performance shall we." Ash says.


	21. A Volcanic Start

**(In the Arena)**

As Serena came into view she was surrounded by her trusty trio of partners Sylveon, Braixen and Pancham. Serena is wearing red and pink dress with black colored skirt. She has two pink ribbons one on her forehead and one in her dress. Finally she is also wearing the same necklace that Ash had bought for her.

There is silence in the crowd. The stadium has been covered for the duration of the performance. Suddenly one by one the light come on making Serena and her 3 Pokemon visible in the center of the arena. Till now Serena's eyes have been closed but there is calm radiant smile on her face.

Suddenly the music starts and Serena starts tapping her foot along with the beat. Suddenly she opens her azure eyes and says "Let's go."

On hearing the command all 3 Pokemon begin to jump while doing acrobatic towards their assigned positions.

"Braixen use Fire Blast, Sylveon use Swift. Pancham you know what to do." Serena says while dancing elegantly.

The Fire blast and Swift attacks collide in mid air releasing red and golden sparkles on Serena's dance while Pancham uses Stone Edge which upon completion looks like a Volcano.

"Alright then. Braixen and Sylveon go. Pancham come here." Serena says as Braixen & Sylveon both jump onto the stone edge blue pillars.

Braixen hops inside the stone edge volcano while Sylveon jumps into the sky and uses Fairy Wind. As Pancham is in Serena's arms they both start to float in the air due to the Fairy Wind.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"That's incredible. What level of coordination! The combinations complement each other perfectly." Brandon says in amazement.

"Indeed. These Pokemon performances surpass my expectations. I have seen Contests before but these are even better. Much more enjoyable." Scott says while agreeing much to Diantha and Palermo's delight.

"First class combinations. Just my kind of tactics." Tucker says to Ash while looking impressed.

"Of course. She is my girlfriend Tucker." Ash says while beaming.

"You are one lucky kid. Do yourself a favor. Never let her go." Tucker says while giving Ash a wink.

"You bet. For now let us go back to watching the performance shall we." Ash says while giving Tucker a thumbs up.

 **(Back in the Arena)**

Serena and Pancham are floating in mid air with Braixen inside the stone edge and Sylveon in the air with Fairy wind.

"Alright. Braixen use Mystical fire and Sylveon keep using Fairy wind." Serena says as she waltzes in mid air with Pancham.

Soon the audience is treated to a sight of a live Volcano. Everyone's eyes glow in amazement at the glowing spectacle. All the girls are ecstatic at the display while all the boys are drooling at Serena's sight.

As Serena lands on the platform she says "Alright let's wrap it up. Sylveon and Braixen you know what to do." Soon Sylveon and Braixen jump over each and every Stone Edge pillar making it disappear.

"Now Braixen use Fire Blast, Sylveon use Swift and Pancham wrap it up with Dark Pulse." Serena says while dancing to the music's rhythm.

As all 3 attacks collide creating a revolving circular disk. There is a inner circle of fire with a golden star inside it's circumference. Then there is an outer ring of Pancham's dark pulse.

As Serena and all 3 of her Pokemon come together and freeze in their last characteristic pose she shouts "And we are all done." Moments later the revolving circular disk explodes showering red, yellow and black sparkles over the four of them.

The entire stadium goes wild with deafening cheer. In the VIP Box everyone is clapping and cheering as well. Ash is ecstatic and is clapping as hard as his hands permit him to clap.

As Serena and her 3 Pokemon give a bow they get lowered into the stage by the elevator. When the elevator comes up again the announcer comes back while holding a mike.

"So KIP. Did you enjoy that?" the announcer shouts as the crowd erupts in cheer. Suddenly the covering of the stadium is being retracted and sunlight comes back into the arena.

"Now that we have enjoyed that lovely performance by the Kalos Queen it is now time to get some serious adrenaline pumping. So today we have for your eyes alone. Not one but 2 exhibition battles. Are you ready to see who will be fighting in these exciting battles?". The crowd once again goes wild in cheer.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"My my. That was some performance." Scott says with a beaming smile.

"Glad to see you liked what you saw." Palermo says with a smile.

"Indeed. I must say these Performances have a lot of scope ad potential in them. A shame they are only restricted to the Kalos Region for the moment." Scott replies.

"I know. Me and my organization are working very hard to expand them to other regions as well." Palermo replies with a smile.

"Well good to know that. Such art and beauty should not be kept locked away in one region." Scott replies.

"Hey wait a minute I have an idea. That might work to our mutual benefit." Palermo replies.

"What idea do you have?" Scott asks Palermo with a hint of intrigue.

"Diantha told me that each frontier brain runs his own frontier facility. Furthermore each facility specializes in something or the other. Is that true?" Palermo asks Scott.

"Correct. Why do you ask?" Scott replies.

"Well if that is the case. I could have a few of my performers go with you and open a frontier facility with a specialty in Pokemon Performances. This way we can sow the seeds of Pokemon performances through your esteemed battle frontier system in other regions." Palermo replies.

"Interesting idea. What would we call that facility?" Scott says with enthusiasm.

Both Palermo and Scott start thinking about it.

Suddenly Ash speaks up "Why not call it the Battle Theater? Since it is performance which is done on a theater like stage so Battle theater should be perfect."

"That will be perfect young man." Palermo says while giving Ash a beaming smile.

"Indeed I like that name. Has a nice ring to it." Scott says while giving Ash a thumbs up.

"Well we can sort the remaining business details later. For now let us enjoy the occasion shall we?" Palermo says while picking up a glass of champagne.

"Of course. Who am I to refuse such a gracious offer." Scott says while helping himself to a glass himself.

Palermo turns to Ash and mouths "Thank you." while handling him a glass as well.

Ash smiles s he accepts her glass and gives Palermo a thumbs up to which she smiles.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"Alright KIP. Now time to get down to the first battle. First we shall have an 3 on 3 exhibition battle between our very own Champion Diantha and the Battle Pyramid king Brandon." the Announcer says as both trainers take their respective positions.

"Alright. This a 3 on 3 exhibition battle. No substitutions. The battle will be over when either side has lost all 3 Pokemon. Are you both ready." Referee says as both Brandon and Diantha nod.


	22. King vs Champion

**(In the Battlefield)**

"Alright them battle begin." Referee shouts.

"Regirock I need your assistance." Brandon says in a commanding voice while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Aurorus. Fight for me." Diantha says while tossing her Poke-ball.

Soon a mild hailstorm covers the battlefield.

"Stone Edge go." Brandon commands with his arms crossed.

"Ice beam." Diantha counters.

A wall of ice forms between the two. As Stone Edge collides with it both attacks neutralize each other.

"Alright then. Use Focus Punch Regirock." Brandon commands.

"Counter with Dragon Tail." Diantha orders.

Both seem tied.

"Regirock Bulldoze." Brandon shouts.

"Aurorus use Take Down." Diantha counters.

After the collision an explosion occurs sending both Pokemon sliding back.

"Use Blizzard." Diantha says hoping to push Brandon on the defensive.

"Counter with Sand Storm then go in with Sand Attack." Brandon counters.

Blizzard gets neutralized by Sand Storm.

"Use mist to counter Sand Attack." Diantha shouts.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Interesting both seem tied till now. Neither one has been able to land an attack on the other till now." Oak says while analyzing the situation.

"You are right. That Diantha is surely one good battler. To hold her defense intact against Brandon's assault is no small feat." Scott says while remarking.

"Hey everyone." Serena says as she walks into the VIP room.

"Hello Serena dear. What an exquisite performance! Well done. I am very proud of you." Palermo says. Everyone nods their head in agreement and clap for her.

"Thanks Palermo. So what is the heated discussion about?" Serena says a she sits on her seat reserved next to Palermo's.

"Oh they are talking about the battle." Palermo says before turning to face the heated discussion.

"Maybe but I don't think Diantha is in such a good condition as it would seem." Ash says suddenly.

"Why? Do you doubt Diantha's skill in battling?" Seibold questions Ash.

"Nothing like that. It is just you haven't faced Regirock, I have. That thing has strong endurance and high defensive power. If the match drags on for a while the situation may eventually tilt in Brandon's favor." Ash replies.

"I agree with Ash on this point. In a drawn out battle Regirock definitely has the advantage." Oak replies.

Many of the Kalos Govt. officials start murmuring among themselves after hearing Ash and Oak speak.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"Aurorus use Ice beam on the battlefield." Diantha orders.

"Oh no you don't Regirock use Stone Edge to stop Aurorus." Brandon commands.

"Take that Stone Edge. Don't stop till the battlefield is covered in Ice." Diantha says.

Aurorus takes the Stone Edge head on suffering some damage. However a large portion of the ground is covered in ice.

"Aurorus use Ice Beam." Diantha counters.

"Iron Defense." Brandon shouts.

Soon Regirock is covered in ice.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Looks like that's that." Wikstrom says while looking at the frozen Regirock.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. Brandon's Regirock may be down but not out." Scott says with a smile as the ice surrounding Regirock slowly starts vibrating violently.

"No way." Wikstrom says as the ice casing explodes and Regirock comes out looking completely fine.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"Regirock time to put this battle to an end. Use Stone Edge." Brandon says.

"Use the ice to slide and dodge. Then use another ice beam." Diantha says.

"Use sandstorm to stop the ice beam." Brandon counters.

"Alright now use Zap cannon."

"Dodge it again then use Haze to hide yourself followed by Ice beam." Diantha shouts.

"Iron Defense." Brandon says moments before Ice Beam meets it's mark.

A few moments later it again breaks through the ice. Diantha closes her fist in frustration.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"How strong can that thing be?" Seibold cries in disbelief after Regirock breaks through it's ice encasing a second time.

"Well it is strong but those Ice beams are still causing damage you know." Ash says.

"Indeed." Oak replies.

"I guess it will be a very drawn out battle then." Palermo says.

"I don't think so. Take a closer look at both the Pokemon. They are both panting heavily. They are at their limit. Most likely the next 2 to 3 attacks will decide the battle." Ash says while facing Palermo.

All the trainers and Professors present nod their heads in agreement.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"I must say it has been a long while since anyone managed to survive against my Regirock for so long. You have earned my respect Champion Diantha." Brandon says.

"I can say the same for you Brandon." Diantha replies.

"Your strategy to use Haze to hide your Pokemon and avoid any counters by sliding on the ice won't work anymore. I am putting an end to this battle right now. Now Regirock use Lock On." Brandon says.

Diantha gets shocked that Regirock knows how to use Lock On.

"Now Hyper Beam Regirock. Give it everything you have got." Brandon shouts.

"There is no hiding from this. I guess we need to go for broke as well. Aurorus give me your Hyper Beam at full power too." Diantha shouts at the top of her voice.

Both fire large orange pulses. They both miss each other and land on their intended targets causing 2 huge explosions. When the mist clears both of them are on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Regirock & Aurorus are both unable to battle. Please send out your next Pokemon." Referee announces.

There is stunned silence in the crowd. Even the people in the VIP Box are shocked at the outcome. Both trainers return their Pokemon and then face each other passively. Brandon is the first one to recover.

"Registeel. I need your assistance." Brandon says while throwing another Poke-ball.

'A steel type !' Diantha think to herself.

"Hawlucha come on out." Diantha says while throwing her Poke-ball.

"Battle Begin." Referee shouts.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Well the first round is a double knock out. Any prediction for this round?" Sycamore says.

"I think Brandon will win. That Registeel of his has even higher defensive power than his Regirock." Ash says.

"True but you can't ignore the advantage a fighting type has against a steel type Ash." Scott says.

"Maybe. But I have seen Brandon's Regirock taking out Paul's Hariyama without even breaking a sweat. Brandon likes to take his opponents moves and counter attack at the opportune moment. Diantha needs to be careful if she is going to win this round." Ash says in a serious tone.

"When did Paul & Brandon battle?" Cynthia asks in a curious tone.

"They battled when the Battle Pyramid went to the temple at Snowbelle city. Of course Paul lost without even being able to defeat one of Brandon's Pokemon. The next time he challenged Brandon was after the Sinnoh League. But Brandon still won this time however 6-4." Ash explained to Cynthia.

"Interesting." Cynthia says while turning her attention to the match.

 **(In the Battlefield)**

"Alright. Hawlucha. Start of with a Karate Chop." Diantha says.

"Intercept with metal claw." Brandon counters.

An explosion occurs revealing a tie.

"Keep up the pressure. Use Brick Break both hands." Diantha says.

Hawlucha keeps pounding Registeel with consecutive Brick Breaks.

"Now hold it down. Then use Thunder wave." Brandon commands.

Hawlucha winces in pain as it get shocked and crushed by Registeel's arm at the same time.

"Fight through it. Use 2 high jump kicks to break free." Diantha shouts.

Registeel stumbles back after getting hit by the high jump kicks.

"Now use Flying Press." Diantha orders hoping to keep up the pressure for Brandon to make a mistake.

"Iron Defense." Brandon says as Hawlucha closes in on Registeel.

An explosion occurs revealing Registeel as completely fine. With Hawlucha on the other end of the battlefield slightly panting.

"Now Flash cannon go." Brandon commands.

"Dodge it." Diantha says moments before Hawlucha dodges the attack acrobatically.

"Registeel Hawlucha is tired it can't keep dodging for ever. Use Zap Cannon barrage." Brandon shouts.

"Take to the sky. Dodge them all then go in with another flying press." Diantha commands.

"Iron head to counter that flying press." Brandon says as all the Zap Cannons miss their marks.

An explosion occurs revealing both still able to battle.

'Hawlucha is tired but Registeel must be at it's limit too. If I can get another couple of fighting type moves and dodge his attacks with Hawlucha's speed then i may yet win this.' Diantha thinks to herself.

"Now Hawlucha use Flying Press. Followed by a barrage of karat Chops." Diantha orders.

"Bad move Diantha. Use Lock on followed by Zap Cannon." Brandon says.

"Oh no." Diantha shouts as Hawlucha is sent flying by that Zap Cannon.

"Finish this Registeel. Use Lock On followed by Flash Cannon." Brandon says.

"Hawlucha. Use Protect." Diantha shouts in desperation.

Protect hold for a while but then it breaks when a bout of paralysis hit Hawlucha and the flash cannon meets it's mark causing an explosion. After the smoke clears Hawlucha is on the ground with swirly eyes while Registeel is still standing but heavily panting.

"Hawlucha is unable to battle. This round goes to Brandon." Referee shouts.

A lot of disappointed sighs can be heard in the crowd.

"Hawlucha return. You battled very well. Take a long rest." Diantha says while recalling Hawlucha to it's Poke-Ball.

"Registeel return. I will need you for later." Brandon says while recalling Registeel.

"Your next Pokemon please." Referee says.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"I was afraid this was going to happen." Ash says with a sigh.

The elite four look crestfallen while the frontier brains marvel at Brandon's win.

"Now that Diantha is down by one Pokemon. So Brandon has a huge advantage." Serena says in a rather beat tone.

"Not exactly. Registeel may have won but it took a lot of damage from those numerous fighting type moves. If Diantha can win the next match quickly then she still has a fighting chance." Cynthia says.

"Agreed." Oak says.

 **(On the Battlefield)**

"Regice. I need your assistance." Brandon says while tossing it's Poke-ball.

"Gardevoir come on out." Diantha says while tossing her final Poke-ball.

"Alright start this of by using ice beam on the entire battle field." Brandon says.

Diantha does nothing but wait patiently.

"Alright use Zap Cannon." Brandon commands.

Diantha simply nods and Gardevoir dodges the attack.

"Use Ice beam." Brandon commands only to get dodged by Gardevoir.

"Alright then use Hammer Arm." Brandon says.

Regice charges at Gardevoir. Seconds before the attack connects Gardevoir disappears only to reappear behind the confused Regice.

"Shadow ball go." Diantha says as Regice is sent flying by a shadow ball from close range.

'It seem she know how to communicate with her Pokemon in a manner similar to that of Anabel's. I must be careful.' Brandon thinks to himself.

"Regice use Blizzard."

"Stop that Blizzard with Psychic then send it back with magical leaf." Diantha counters.

"While it's using Psychic use Lock on followed by Hyper Beam." Brandon commands.

Both attacks meet their marks. Regice is sent flying by magical leaf while Gardevoir is sent flying by Hyper Beam.

'Regice can't attack right away due to the after effects of Hyper beam. I need to finish this battle quickly.' Diantha thinks to herself.

"Use Moon Blast." Diantha says while Regice is immobilized.

The attack connects but Regice manages to get up to his feet somehow.

"Regice use ice beam to trap Gardevoir." Brandon commands.

Gardevoir avoids the main attack but appears to be trapped between pillars of ice.

"Now use Rest." Brandon commands.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"That's the same strategy he used against me !" Ash shouts in a loud voice.

"Indeed. If Diantha doesn't do something before Regice finishes Rest then it will be able to battle as if nothing happened before." Oak says while reminiscing Ash's battle with Brandon.

"Well let's see what Diantha does while being backed up against the wall." Malva says in a passive tone.

 **(In the Battlefield)**

"Bad move Brandon. Use Teleport. Then use Moon blast from point blank range to finish it off." Diantha says while smirking.

"Oh no. Regice wake up." Brandon shouts in a pleading way to no avail.

An explosion takes place revealing Regice unable to battle. The crowd cheers for their champion's victory. Many people in the VIP box too breathe a sigh of relief.

"Regice is unable to battle. Gardevoir wins. Please bring out your final Pokemon." Referee says.

"Registeel I need your assistance." Brandon says while tossing it's Poke-Ball.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Now this is the most bizarre situation possible. For it is impossible to predict who will come out on top in this battle." Cynthia says.

"Why so?" Serena asks.

"There are a number of reasons. Firstly. This is because here we have a steel type against a fairy type. By type Registeel has a huge advantage. But Registeel has taken much more damage than Gardevoir has in it's battle with Hawlucha." Ash says before pausing to take a sip of water.

"Secondly while Registeel has taken more damage it has also got a chance to get a rest in it's Poke-ball which would have let it catch it's breath before battling again."

"Thirdly despite being at a type disadvantage Gardevoir can mega evolve something which Registeel can't do." Sycamore says completing Ash's points.

"With so many factors to take into account it is impossible to predict the outcome of this match from the start." Ash says.

 **(In the Battlefield)**

"Alright. Gardevoir. Mega Evolve." Diantha says while holding a Pendant around her neck. Soon dazzling white light appear from both Gardevoir and Diantha which upon meeting turn to golden.

'Before it Mega Evolves completely should get an attack in just in case.' Brandon thinks to himself.

"Iron Head go." Brandon shouts while Gardevoir is Mega Evolving.

The moment Gardevoir finishes Mega Evolving it is sent flying by the effective Iron head.

"Now Flash Cannon." Brandon shouts.

"Teleport followed by Shadow Ball barrage." Diantha counters as Gardevoir disappears.

"Iron Defense." Brandon shouts.

Soon after the shadow balls make contact an explosion occurs which sends Registeel sliding back.

'I see. So this is the power of Mega Evolution. Registeel won't be able to take this for very long. It is already quite damaged from the previous fight.' Brandon thinks to himself while figuring out his strategy.

"Alright Registeel use Sand storm followed by Lock on and Flash Cannon." Brandon commands.

"Use Psychic send that Sand Storm back with Magical Leaf." Diantha shouts.

Both Registeel and Mega Gardevoir are sent flying when they get hit by attacks.

Both of them struggle to get up.

"Zap cannon." Brandon commands.

"Counter with Shadow ball then into Focus Blast." Diantha counters.

"Dodge that focus Blast and go in with Metal Claw." Brandon shouts.

"Move away to a safe distance with Teleport then use Charge beam." Diantha says.

"Use Rock tomb to counter that Charge Beam then use Lock on followed by zap cannon." Brandon shouts.

"Use Protect to stop that Zap Cannon. Followed by Moonblast." Diantha counters.

"Take that Moonblast use Iron Head." Brandon shouts.

As the two attacks collide a huge explosion takes place revealing both Pokemon barely able to keep their consciousness.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"This is it. The final attack will decide it all. Gardevoir has no strength left for another Teleport to escape or a Psychic to reverse the opponent's move and Registeel can't dodge as well. Looks like we are headed into the finale folks." Cynthia says as everyone looks on in nervous silence.

 **(In the Battle Field)**

"Registeel I know you are panned out. But I need one last Lock On and Hyper beam." Brandon says in a pleading way.

"Gardevoir I know you can do it. Give me your most powerful Hyper Beam as well." Diantha says.

Both beams collide in mid air to create an explosion. After the explosion clears both Gardevoir and Registeel have been sent flying and have been knocked out cold.

"Both Registeel and Gardevoir are unable to battle. This exhibition battle is therefore declared a tie." Referee says as there is stunned silence in the stadium.

After both trainers recall their Poke-Ball they both walk up to each other.

"A good battle Champion Diantha." Brandon says while extending his hand.

"Same goes for you." Diantha says while shaking Brandon's hand. Then they both turn to the stands to give the students a wave. The crowd erupts into cheer as both Brandon and Diantha walk away.


	23. Fighting Dragon with Fire

**(In the VIP Box)**

"I guess it's our turn next." Cynthia says while getting up.

Serena gives Ash a thumbs up. Ash smiles and follows suit.

"Best of luck kiddo." Scott says while Ash goes out of the VIP Box.

 **(In the Battlefield)**

"Alright KIP so how was that for the first battle?" the announcer says only to be responded by a deafening cheer from the crowd.

"Now that the stadium has been repaired we shall have our last exhibition battle for the day. First of all welcome the Sinnoh Champion Cynthia." he says while gesturing to Cynthia who has taken up her position on the battlefield.

"And competing against her we have you very own KIP champion Ash." he says while gesturing to Ash. With that the announcer leaves.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Diantha. Brandon. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the healthcare center recovering from your battle?" Sycamore asks as he sees Diantha slowly walking into the room with Brandon helping her.

"Ah. Don't worry Augustine. I am just a little tired is all." Diantha says while collapsing onto her chair. "Besides there is no way I am going to miss this battle. Both Ash and Cynthia are very dear to me."

"OK. If you say so. Exciting battle both of you. Well done." Sycamore says while clapping. Soon everyone else also joins in while Brandon and Diantha give a little bow.

"Alright. Enough clapping time to see the second match. It is about to start." Charles Goodshow says pointing to the screen.

 **(In the Battlefield)**

"This will be a one on one battle. Battle will not be over till either Pokemon has been defeated. Alright send out your Pokemon." Referee shouts.

"Garchomp. Battle Stance." Cynthia says while tossing her Poke-Ball.

"Charizard. Let's do this buddy." Ash says while tossing his Poke-Ball.

Both Pokemon come out and put a demonstration of power before glaring at each other in an attempt to size each other up.

While Ash is eyeing Garchomp he remembers Paul's battle with Cynthia from his Sinnoh Journey and Iris's battle with her from the Unova journey.

'That Garchomp loves to use his wings as a shield. I must wait patiently to deliver the perfect blow. The question is how?' Ash thinks to himself.

"Ash you may have the first move." Cynthia says while gesturing to him.

'I know flamethrower won't do anything.' Ash thinks to himself. "Alright Charizard use Fire Spin full power." Ash commands.

Cynthia doesn't do anything till the attack connects and envelopes Garchomp completely. She looks at Ash to see him looking very seriously. 'He knows that didn't do anything. That is why he is not counterattacking recklessly. He has grown since I last saw him.' Cynthia thinks to herself.

"Charizard use Dig." Ash commands as an idea comes into his mind.

"We'll use dig as well." Cynthia says while smiling.

Ash's serious expression turns to a smirk. Cynthia raises her eyebrows.

"Why are you smirking?" Cynthia asks Ash.

"Have you forgotten already Cynthia the day we first met. This is exactly what happened when you battled Paul's Chimchar." Ash says while smirking.

Cynthia recalls the day and then shouts back "I won that battle easily Ash."

"I know. But you know what is different this time?" Ash questions Cynthia.

"What?" Cynthia asks him in a confused manner.

"I am not Paul." Ash replies.

"Charizard let Garchomp get close to you then use Blast Burn." Ash shouts at the top of his voice.

Cynthia's eyes widen in shock as she realizes what position she has put Garchomp in.

"Garchomp get out of there." Cynthia shouts in desperation.

"Too late." Ash replies with a smirk as the ground start to crack and smoke. Suddenly an eruption occurs which reveals Garchomp being sent flying out of the hole and into the ground. Garchomp gets up with a grunt with his smoking body while Charizard flies out of the hole in the stadium.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"It seems that Cynthia has made the mistake of underestimating our KIP Champion like Seibold did." Sycamore speaks up with a smile.

"Maybe. But unlike Seibold Cynthia's Garchomp is far superior an opponent compared to Blastoise. Charizard barely managed to win that clash. Let's see how far it goes this time." Diantha says in an excited yet exhausted tone.

"Here drink some water Diantha." Serena says while giving Diantha a glass of water.

"Thank Serena." Diantha says while drinking the water.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"Fine then. No holding back." Cynthia says as Garchomp gets up and gives a loud roar.

"Likewise. Charizard use Sunny Day." Ash says while his Charizard releases roar as well.

"Garchomp use Sandstorm followed by Dragon Pulse." Cynthia commands.

"Use solar beam on sand storm and dodge that Dragon Pulse." Ash counters.

"Dragon Rush go." Cynthia commands.

"Counter with flame charge." Ash commands.

A huge explosion takes place as both Pokemon fall down to the ground.

"Get up." Both Ash and Cynthia shout in unison.

"Dragon Pulse go." Cynthia shouts.

"Steel wing to defend. Use Dragon Tail as an anchor to help with the pushing force." Ash says.

Cynthia clenches her fist in frustration as Dragon Pulse fails.

"Enough fooling around. Time for you to experience the true power of Dragon types. Use Draco meteor and Dragon rush." Cynthia shouts.

"Charizard use smokescreen. You know what to do next." Ash says while smiling.

The Dragon rush misses due to the smokescreen and all the Draco meteor finish falling. But there seems to be no sign of Charizard getting hit by any of the meteors.

"How?" Cynthia says when suddenly the ground below Garchomp begins to shake. Suddenly Charizard comes out in front of Garchomp and delivers 2 fierce Dragon Claw swipes.

"Very clever Ash. Garchomp use Stone Edge." Cynthia shouts as Garchomp is being sent flying.

Ash gets caught off guard as the Charizard gets hit by the stone edge and is sent flying as well.

"Alright Giga Impact go." Cynthia commands.

'Here it comes. Let's hope the gamble pays off.' Ash thinks to himself while reminiscing Paul's Torterra using Giga Drain on Garchomp after Giga Impact.

"Charizard meet it head on with Dragon Claw and use Dragon tail as anchor." Ash shouts.

As both the attacks meet head on a huge clash takes place. Neither Pokemon is willing to give in to the other. The clash emits dazzling blinding light forcing many spectators to cover their eyes. Many people in the stands hold on the their belongings to ensure they don't fly away with the gust of air generated from the fierce clash.

"Garchomp push on ahead." Cynthia shouts over the wind.

"Willpower Charizard don't give in. I believe in you." Ash shouts at the top of his voice.

There is stunned silence in the stadium except from the noise being generated from the clash. Suddenly the clash reaches it's critical value and a huge explosion occurs with a destructive sound. A huge dust bowl appears to engulf both Cynthia and Ash.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"What. What Power!" Scott says unable to believe his own eyes.

Even Brandon is speechless at this clash of moves.

"I will be surprised if the stadium is still in one piece after the clash is over." Sycamore says while sweat dropping at the amount of power being produced.

"Yes. This just goes on to show that Pokemon actually feed of the emotions of their trainers. Look at Ash and Cynthia. The fierceness in their eyes. Their Pokemon don't want to let their trainers down." Oak says as a blinding explosion takes place which release a dust bowl which engulfs the battlefield including Ash and Cynthia.

A shriek of pure horror escapes Serena's mouth as she shouts "Ash."

Everyone is shell shocked at what just happened. No one can move a muscle. It's almost as if they have been paralyzed by what just happened.

After the dust clears everyone breathes a sigh of relief as they see Ash and Cynthia coughing but otherwise completely unharmed.

In the center of the stadium both Charizard and Garchomp are standing covered in bruises and scratches. Suddenly Charizard falls down on the ground with swirly eyes.

"The match goes to Cynthia." Referee says while coughing too. Immediately after the announcement Garchomp falls on the ground as well with swirly eyes.

Ash and Cynthia run towards their Pokemon to check up on them. As they both recall their Pokemon Diantha, the elite four, the professors, Frontier Brains, Grace, Serena and Charles Goodshow come running towards them.

"Are you both alright?" Diantha asks them both in concern.

Cynthia nods and gets on her feet.

"I'll live." Ash says while getting to his feet as well.

"But our Pokemon need attending to right away." Cynthia says.

"Of course. Follow me. Augustine handle everything here." Diantha says while walking away at a brisk pace.

"I will come as well." Serena says while following Ash.

Unknown to everyone the man with who Ash had a quarrel with near the fountain in Santalune city has also been watching the whole event while sitting in the stands. As the match ends he stands up and leaves while muttering "Interesting. Very interesting indeed." to himself.

 **(45 Minutes Later)**

Both Cynthia and Ash are waiting outside the healthcare center anxiously. Almost all the people who were present in the VIP Box are also waiting with them. Suddenly nurse joy comes out with many Poke-balls.

"There you go people. Your Pokemon are all feeling better now." she says with a smile.

"Thank you." Brandon, Diantha, Cynthia and Ash reply in unison as they take their respective Poke-balls.

"Well your Pokemon may be fine but a good night's sleep is what these 4 need. Especially Ash and Cynthia." Goodshow says while standing up.

"I must say Ash I been in several matches but nowhere have I ever been pushed to the limit by even my elite four." Cynthia says with a smile.

"I hope so. But I still lost remember." Ash says in a beat down tone.

"Win or lose. Doesn't matter. You should be proud of what you have achieved. Very few people can actually force a Champion of a region to use their true strength in battle. Couple that with the fact that you are not even an elite four I can see a very bright future for you." Sycamore says with a proud smile.

"At any rate let us call it a day. Why don't we. Everyone has been through a lot today especially Ash and Cynthia. So how about we pickup things tomorrow. A day off is just what is needed." Grace says firmly.

"Of course. There is no question of doing anything else today. No compulsion to attend the lunch even" Diantha says while agreeing.

"That is settled then." Oak says as everyone disperses to leave.


	24. Double Trouble

**(1 hour later)**

Ash comes out of the shower looking more refreshed. Serena meanwhile has been patiently waiting for him outside. Ash quickly changes into fresh clothes and comes out of his bedroom to be tackled into a hug by Serena.

"What. What happened?" Ash says while reciprocating the hug.

"Oh when you were battling when the explosion took place I thought something had happened to you for a second." Serena says in a shaky tone.

Ash simply smiles and kisses her forehead. He then puts 2 hands on Serena's face and says "What will happen to me as long as you are there with me?"

"By the way gorgeous performance my queen. I was beyond impressed." Ash says while giving a beaming smile.

"Why thank you Ash." Serena replies while blushing.

He then brings her closer and kisses her. She instantly swings her arms around his neck while deepening the kiss. They both forget everything and start making out on the sofa. Ash pushes Serena on the couch and goes down on her while kissing her incessantly.

Suddenly without warning Gary, Paul, Brock, Dawn and May burst into the room only to find the 2 lovebirds wrapped around each other's neck without a care in the world.

Upon realizing them being present Ash and Serena instantly separate.

"Since when did it become the norm to bust into the rooms of other people without taking their permission first?" Ash says in a loud and irritated tone.

"Sorry." the 3 boys quickly reply in an embarrassed tone. While May and Dawn both look a little hurt seeing Ash actually making out with Serena like that. But they both quickly recover and apologize as well.

"It's OK. But do knock next time." Serena says in a much more calm tone.

"Actually we came to check up on you Ash after that intense battle. How is Charizard?" Brock asks.

"Charizard has been completely treated. Just needs a good night's rest." Ash replies.

"I must say Ash. I have seen Cynthia battle many times but I have never seen her pushed to the limit like that." Paul replies.

"Coming from you. I will take that as a compliment." Ash says while getting up.

"Ashy boy. Level with me how did you become this strong since the Unova league? First that battle with Calem, then beating Seibold and now pushing Cynthia to her limit. What happened?" Gary asks in a serious tone.

"I will tell you someday Gary but right now I am really not in the mood." Ash replies in a rather beat tone.

Serena knows where this conversation is going. She decides to step in.

"That's right. Besides Ash has had a tough day guys. Why don't we do something fun today?" Serena says.

"Actually May and I have to go do some contest training for our exam in 2 days time. See you later." Dawn says while turning around and leaving with May.

"I need to finish my homework. Unlike you two we still have lectures to attend and tests to give." Paul says while turning around as well.

"I would love to hang around but I have to finish a report for Prof. Rowan." Gary says in a rather dejected tone.

"Well I am free. What do you guys wanna do?" Brock says while taking a seat as well.

"Why don't we go and have dinner in Lumiose city?" Serena says.

"That will be nice." Ash says while smiling.

"Great. I will go and change." Serena says while leaving towards her bedroom.

As soon as Serena shuts the door Brock lands in front of Ash and holds his hands. Ash looks at Brock in a bewildered state.

"Ash please help me." Brock says in a pleading way.

"With what?" Ash say in a concerned tone.

"In finding a girlfriend." Brock replies.

Ash gets shocked and falls on the floor with swirly eyes. After a few moments he recovers.

"I can see you haven't changed yet." Ash says while dusting himself.

"Dude it's just that you got Serena to go out with you. Can you please set me up with someone too." Brock says while looking at him with pleading puppy dog eyes.

"Oh Brock." Ash replies in a disappointed tone. "It doesn't happen that way. How can I set you up with the one you will date?"

"Come on Ash please. For our friendship's sake." Brock replies in a pleading voice.

After a few minutes of not being able to deny Brock's request Ash finally relents and says "Fine I will think about it."

"Oh you will? Thanks. I love you dude." Brock says while hugging Ash. A few moments later.

"It's OK. Now get off me if Serena sees us like this it will be awkward." Ash says while consoling his friend.

"Oh right." Brock says while releasing Ash from his hug and wiping his tears.

"I am all set." Serena says while opening her door and revealing herself in the dress.

"I guess I will go back to my apartment and get dressed as well." Brock says while turning around and leaving.

"Well why don't you get dressed as well honey." Serena says while stroking Pikachu's tail in her arms.

"You don't need to tell me twice." Ash says before going to his room.

As he was changing his clothes he was also thinking of Brock's problem.

'Damn. What to do? I am leaving tomorrow. I will not be able to help Brock while I am travelling. I can't disappoint him as well. Why did I agree to the stupid thing in the first place. Idiot' Ash thinks to himself while changing into his formal clothes.

After changing he sits down on the bed deep in thought. After a few minutes of futile silence his thoughts drift off to the event of the morning. From Serena's performance to Cynthia to the Kanto Battle Frontier Brains. Suddenly his eyes widen and a smile comes on his face as something strikes him. Smiling to himself he gets up and takes out his phone from his pocket and simply dials Scott's number.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Ash what took you so long?" Serena says when Ash comes out of the room.

"Nothing. Just making some arrangements." Ash replies while giving a smile.

"What arrangements?" Serena says as she eyes Ash suspiciously.

"Serena Yvonne. Ever since I have been going out with you I have not taken you on a single date. Would you like to go on a date with me?" Ash says while getting down on one knee.

"I would love to Ash. Only problem is that Brock is coming as well." Serena says in a little disappointed tone.

"That's the thing. It will be a double date. That way you can get to know Brock as well." Ash replies.

"But who is Brock's date?" Serena asks Ash.

"Oh that is surprise for both you and Brock." Ash says while winking.

Serena gets confused but decides to trust Ash on this. She takes his arm and they both walk out of the apartment.

 **(On the Way to the Restaurant in Serena's Limousine)**

Ash, Serena and Brock are on their way to Le Cirque. Ash suddenly turns to Brock and says "Brock I have a surprise waiting for you at Le Cirque."

"What surprise?" Brock asks Ash as he eyes both him and Serena suspiciously.

"Oh don't look at me like that. I have nothing to do with this. I am equally clueless." Serena says as she sees Brock looking at her.

Brock turns to Ash with a questioning stare.

"A date just like you asked." Ash says in a calm tone.

Brock looks shocked for a moment. Then he bursts into tears and gives Ash a bone crushing hug.

While Brock is hugging Ash says while choking "Can't breathe. Help" to Serena.

Serena at first does nothing while enjoying Ash's state. But when his face starts turning blue she pinches Brock's ear causing him to release Ash from the strangling hug.

"B-B-rock. N-Next Time d-don't st-strangle m-me please." Ash says while gasping for breath.

"Sorry dude." Brock says while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

After Ash has recovered his breathe he turns to Brock and says in a serious tone "However there is a condition."

"What condition?" Brock replies.

"The condition is simple. Should you and this person start off in a relationship during the course of the relationship you are not permitted to flirt or ask any other girl out. I am very serious on this particular point. No nurse Joy or officer Jenny."

Brock looks sad for a moment. Then his expression changes to a smile and he replies "OK dude. I will trust you on this. I promise. But who is my blind date."

"You will have to wait and see." Ash replies with a smirk.

"OK." Brock says while holding back his impatience.

 **(In the** **restaurant)**

Ash, Brock and Serena walk into the restaurant only to see Lucy the Battle pike Queen sitting in one of the reserved seats in an elegant dress. As soon as Brock sees her his heart instantly lights on fire and 2 pink hearts start popping out of his eyeballs. Upon seeing Brock like this Lucy blushes and giggles.

Ash whispers in Brock's ear "Remember my condition. Now go have fun." while taking Serena's hand and walking away to the dance floor giving Brock and Lucy their privacy. As Ash and Serena are waltzing on the dance floor Serena says "Alright Ash looks like your blind date for Brock is going quite well. Mind telling me the entire story now?"

"Sure." Ash replies as he tells her about when he first challenged Lucy. Then he tells her about how Brock had requested him to set him up with someone. Then how the idea had clicked to him about pairing Brock and Lucy since Lucy was here in Kalos.

"Wow. I had no idea you would be such a good matchmaker." Serena says as she sees Brock and Lucy dance on another part of the dance floor.

"I try my best. He is a good guy. Practically an elder brother for me. He deserves someone good." Ash says while smiling.

"You know what Ash I love the fact that you care so much about your friends and Pokemon. I truly admire that quality a lot." Serena says before spinning.

"And do you know what I love the most about you." Ash says while turning her around.

"What?" Serena asks when she stops turning.

"The fact that you are here for me always." Ash says before kissing her neck.

Serena blushes and turns around to give Ash a kiss on the lips.

Ash reciprocates the kiss then he says "How is the date going so far?"

"Exceeds Expectations." Serena replies with a blush.

"Do me a favor Serena. Never stop blushing. I just love the way those sparkling frosty ice like azure eyes contrast with your faint blushing cheeks."

"I promise." Serena says while hugging him and enjoying a more slow intimate dance with him.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

"Thank you Ash for setting this date up for me. Brocky here is just adorable cutie pie." Lucy replies with a blushing smile on her face as Ash and Serena come back to the table. Brock turns a shade crimson on hearing that.

"My pleasure. I just knew that you two would be perfect for each other." Ash replies while sitting down.

"Good for you Brock. I am happy for you." Serena says while smiling.

Brock nervously smiles while blushing even more furiously. Lucy sees him blushing and giggles while Ash and Serena wink at each other.

After that the four of them start to talk about the various adventures they have had etc.

 **(40 minutes Later)**

"Brock I may have set you 2 up but you still haven't asked Lucy out yet. Why don't you do the honors. It should be easy for you after all the nurse Joys and officer Jennys you have asked out unsuccessfully." Ash says while smirking knowing Brock is actually nervous like anything inside.

"That is if you are man enough. She is Queen Lucy after all. You have some standards to maintain." Serena says as she decides to join Ash for some fun by pulling Brock's leg.

Brock who has asked countless women out in the past starts shaking in fear. He finds at all 3 of them looking at him in an expecting manner with Ash and Serena smirking.

Suddenly Lucy says "I am waiting you know."

"Right." Brock replies while getting up. Brock gets down on one knee while feeling completely terrified. Ash then relaxes his smirk and gives his friend an encouraging nod.

"L-Lucy w-will y-you go o-u-out with me?" Brock stutters.

Suddenly Toxicroak comes out of its Poke-ball and is about to give Brock a poison jab when Lucy replies "Yes." while smiling. Toxicroak is stunned at the reply and falls on the ground with swirly eyes. All four of them laugh their lungs out at Toxicroak's reaction.

When Toxicroak recovers Lucy picks it up in her arms and says "However if you find him hitting on any other women apart from me I give you permission to use 2 consecutive poison jabs on him." while smiling. Brock gulps on hearing this while Ash, Serena and Pikachu are barely able to contain their laughter.

"Alright that is enough fun for today. Let's eat shall we." Lucy says while stroking Toxicroak's cheek.

"Yes." All 3 of them reply in unison.

 **(1 hour later)**

"Thanks for today. I guess I will see you tomorrow." Lucy says outside the restaurant.

"I am glad you enjoyed yourself but Serena and I are heading out on our journey again tomorrow. So it may be a while before you see us again." Ash says while smiling.

"Best of luck Ash on your journey. You and Serena make an excellent couple. Take care of him Serena." Lucy says.

"You bet." Serena says while smiling.

"As for you handsome. I look forward to seeing you more." Lucy says before planting a kiss on Brock's cheek. Brock gets paralyzed on being kissed by a girl he likes for the first time.

"Take care Toxicroak. Remember what I told you about he poison jabs." Lucy says while stroking Toxicroak's head. Toxicroak gives her a thumbs up.

"Bye. Take care." Brock, Ash and Serena say as they wave Lucy goodbye.

After she is gone all 3 of them get into Serena's limousine and which drives for about 30 minutes before reaching KIP.

Brock gets out of the car. He turns around and thanks Serena for the lift before turning around and walking away.

Serena however stops him and says "Brock. I will tell you this once and for all. From what I have heard from our discussion about your adventures if you screw up with Lucy chances are you will never get someone else. Don't do anything stupid. Especially around a nurse Joy or officer Jenny. She is a nice girl and I don't know what Ash thinks but I think she is the one for you. Don't hurt her. Chances are you may not get someone else in your life. Take it slow and steady. She will open up to you. Best of luck." while giving him a thumbs up.

"Thanks for tonight both of you." Brock says while simply smiling. He turns around and walks away.

A few minutes later Serena and Ash get out as well. They both thank Harry and leave towards their apartment while holding each other's hand.

"So are you really in need of sleep. Or can we continue where we left of before we got interrupted." Serena whispers in Ash's ear.

"Relax babe. Let us first reach the apartment first and see to our Pokemon. Then we shall hit the resume button." Ash replies while smirking.


	25. Breakfast before the Journey

**(Next Morning)**

Ash wakes up as the sunlight can be seen entering the room via the windows. He stretches his arms and yawns to get rid of his lethargy. He turns around to see his naked girlfriend still fast asleep. Ash smiles as he gets out of bed with the intention of doing some early morning training before restarting the journey. He takes a shower and puts on some clothes. When he goes into the living room he sees Pikachu still fast asleep on the couch. He is about to wake Pikachu up when suddenly he notices Serena's phone ringing. He picks up the phone only to see that her mentor Palermo is calling her. Not wanting to wake Serena up he picks up the phone to take a message.

"Hello Serena dear. Good morning." Palermo says.

"Actually Serena is still asleep. This is Ash speaking miss Palermo." Ash replies.

"Oh sorry Ash. I actually needed to talk with Serena a little urgently."

"What about?" Ash asks.

"Oh. The thing is you know that since yesterday's events I and my organization have been attempting to broker an arrangement with the Battle Frontier people to sow the seeds of Pokemon performances in other regions via their esteemed facilities. So today we are all meeting for breakfast at the Plaza hotel to discuss about this future collaboration. As the Kalos Queen and top Performer by default Serena's presence is absolutely mandatory. The breakfast will begin in 1 and a half hour. I will expect her to be present there." Palermo says before pausing for a moment and then saying "Actually I would like you both to be there. It will be better if you are both there. A seasoned battler along with the Kalos Queen sends a better message. Will you please come. I guarantee you won't regret it."

Ash think about this for a moment. Then he says "I have no problem. But don't you think we should take Grace's permission as well."

"Not to worry. I will call Grace after this and then have her message you with her answer." Palermo replies.

"OK then. Serena and I will see you there." Ash replies.

"I look forward to seeing you both. Just don't forget to wear formals." Palermo says moments before the line gets disconnected.

"Well so much for morning training. I guess better go wake Serena up." Ash says while turning around and walking back to their bedroom.

 **(1 hour 15 minutes Later)**

"I can't wait to try the chocolate donuts of the Plaza's bakery. They are just incredible." Serena says.

"If you say so. Though at the rate we are going I guess I should buy a few more suits for formal occasions." Ash replies.

"Sure. We will go shopping after breakfast gets over then we shall have lunch and then back to our journey." Serena says while smiling.

"That sounds perfect. Wait I will just message Clemont about the plan." Ash says while taking out his phone.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

"Ash Serena it is good to see you two." Scott says while waving to them.

"Thanks Scott." Ash says while taking a seat.

"Young man good to see you here." Brandon says while taking a seat next to Ash.

"Hey Scott. I didn't get to say this yesterday but good battle with Diantha." Ash replies.

"Thanks. You battled good as well kid." Brandon says.

Ash smiles then turns to chat with Serena. As they chat more and more people people come and join them at the table. Suddenly they both hear the clinking of a glass. They both turn to see Palermo standing with a glass in one hand and a knife in another.

After she has everyone's attention she says "Welcome one welcome all. Before we start of with this lovely breakfast I would like too take this opportunity to thank all the people who have manged to take out precious time from their schedule and joined us for this lovely gathering. Most of you already know each other. For those who don't know this fine gentleman here is Scott. He is the one who has made the Kanto & other battle frontiers a reality."

Scott gets up, gives a smile and gives a small bow.

"Then we have Brandon the Kanto Pyramid king. He recently had a 3 on 3 exhibition battle with our champion which ended in a tie." Palermo says as many people start murmuring.

Brandon stands up and then gives a curt bow before sitting down again.

"Last but not the least we have the rising Champion of KIP. The one who won against Seibold and almost managed to beat the Sinnoh champion's Garchomp. Please join me in welcoming Ash Ketchum." Palermo says as many people clap for him.

Ash turns a shade red before getting up and giving a bow as well.

"Now that the formalities are out of the way. Enjoy." Palermo says as waiters start bring dish after dish of breakfast items.

While everyone is enjoying and eating Ash suddenly sees a mysterious shadow outside the window. At first he decides to ignore it. But throughout the course of the breakfast the shadow keeps popping up at different windows. Ash gets suspicious and excuses himself.

He goes outside and looks everywhere but can't find anything. He shrugs it off and goes back inside the hotel. The moment he leaves the man comes out of his hiding place, smiles and then walks off.

 **(20 minutes later)**

"You were right Serena these donuts are to die for." Ash says while eating his 3rd donut.

Serena smiles as she finishes her breakfast as well. Then she turns to talk to Palermo. After a few moment of talking she turns to Ash and says "Let's go."

"But what about the meeting etc. ?" Ash says.

"Don't worry. All we had to do was be present here. This sends a good message. Palermo and the others will handle the paperwork etc." Serena says with a smile.

"I am glad this is over quickly. Dressing up in formal so many times can get burdensome." Ash replies with a whisper.

"Tell me about." Serena replies with a whisper as well.

They both get up, greet everyone and take their leave. They both then walk into Serena's Limousine and ask Harry to drive.

"Since we have already taken up quite a lot of time I have an idea Ash. Why don't you leave your formal clothes with my mom. That way we can get on our journey and she can buy the clothes for you." Serena says.

"Excellent idea Serena. Well we will meet Clemont in 3 hours so what do we do till then?" Ash says.

Both Serena and Ash start thinking.

"Why not watch a movie? After that meet up for lunch. Then parcel Master Ash's clothes to Grace Madam and finally be about your journey again." Harry speaks up.

Both Ash and Serena get excited at this proposition and nod giving Harry their seal of approval.

"Excellent the Lumiose city theater is just a few blocks away." Harry says while turning the steering wheel.

After a few minutes Ash and Serena get out and walk into the theater only to be swamped by a horde of fans asking for their autographs. After signing a lot of autographs they both put on a smile and somehow manage to get away from their ever growing fan horde due to the help of the theater's security personnel.

"That was exhausting." Ash says while wiping sweat of his forehead.

"Yup. You can say that. Thanks for the save mister manager." Serena says.

"My pleasure madam. After all it is not everyday you get to see the Kalos Queen and The KIP champion show up wanting to see a movie." the manager replies while giving a humble bow.

"No need to be so formal. So tell us which movie is going to be played next?" Serena asks the manger.

"Well the movie to be played is the one of Mrs. Diantha's movies My Sweet Sweet Lady which just came out last week." the manager replies.

"Excellent. I have been wanting to see that movie. Alright then Mr. Manger please arrange a private VIP box for me and my Ash." Serena says.

"Well there is a problem." manager replies rather nervously.

"What's the problem?" Ash asks the manager.

"All the private VIP boxes have already been booked in advance. If we had known you were coming Kalos Queen we would have made arrangements."

"Oh no." Ash and Serena say in unison in a disappointed tone.

"I am so sorry." Manger says while bowing down.

"It's OK. We should have told you in advance." Serena says quickly.

"Yup. But now what do we do. We can't watch with the other people. They will forget the movie and swamp us for selfies and autographs." Ash says in a dejected tone.

"I guess we have no choice but to find something else to do." Serena replies in an equally dejected tone.

"You can watch with me in my box."

Ash and Serena get shocked. They both turn around to see Cynthia standing in her usual outfit.

"Cynthia. How are you?" Ash says while smiling.

"Good. You two seem to be doing well as well." Cynthia replies.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asks.

"What do people do when they go to movie theaters Ash?" Cynthia replies.

Ash face palms himself for asking such a stupid question.

"You will really let us watch with you? That would be awesome." Serena says in an ecstatic tone.

"Sure no problem. Now hurry along the movie starts in 2 minutes." Cynthia says while turning around.

"Alright." Ash and Serena shout as they follow Cynthia as well.

 **(2 hours later)**

"Wow that was an excellent movie. Wouldn't you say Cynthia." Serena asks Cynthia.

"Yes it was. Diantha at her best as usual. Certainly an epitome of grace and beauty." Cynthia replies while finishing her 3rd ice cream.

"Indeed." Serena says while agreeing. "What do you think Ash?" Serena says while turning to Ash. Ash and Pikachu however are fast asleep.

Serena and Cynthia both get shocked at seeing Ash and Pikachu fast asleep. Serena shakes Ash but he doesn't get up.

Then she loses her cool and shouts at the top of her voice "Ash Ketchum wake up this instant. How dare you fall asleep on your first movie date with me."

Ash and Pikachu both wake up with a start. However Ash's foot slips on some water on the ground and they both fall on the ground.

"That hurt." Ash says while getting up.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu replies while agreeing.

They both look at Serena and gulp seeing her angry expression.

"Hey Serena. Great movie huh." Ash says in a sort of laughing manner while scratching the back of his head in nervousness.

"Great movie my foot. You fell asleep on your first movie with me and now have the audacity to joke about it." Serena says in a controlled yet angry voice.

Ash & Pikachu gulp again while putting on a smile trying to pacify Serena.

'Things are getting serious in here. Better take myself out of the line of fire for this one.' Cynthia thinks to herself while quickly slipping out at the same time barely able to contain her laughter at Ash's predicament.

 **(10 minutes Later)**

Ash, Serena and Cynthia are walking out of the theater with the theater's security personnel to keep away fans.

"So what are you two doing for lunch?" Cynthia asks the both of them.

"I don't know and I don't care." Serena replies without much of a reaction.

Ash decides to remain quiet. The 3 of them enter Serena's limousine and the car moves towards Cynthia's hotel to drop her of. The ride goes in pin drop silence.

Suddenly Serena breaks the silence "I can't believe you actually feel asleep."

This time however Ash gets pissed off. He says in a rather loud voice "Hey listen I said I am sorry OK. Don't you think you are making this a bigger issue than it needs to be. Give it a rest. No need to make a scene."

"I am the one making a scene? You are the one who fell asleep on our first movie together." Serena shouts back.

Both Ash and Serena shout at each other while Cynthia and Pikachu watch in silence. Suddenly the car comes to a stop. Cynthia looks outside to see that the car has reached her hotel.

"Guys." Cynthia says.

"What is it?" Both Ash and Serena shout in irritation in unison. Cynthia sweat drops at their reaction.

Both Ash and Serena upon seeing it is Cynthia who interrupted them immediately soften their tone and faces.

"I just wanted to say thanks for the ride." Cynthia says quickly before getting out of the line of fire.

Both Ash and Serena smile as they wave Cynthia goodbye. Then upon seeing each other's face they both turn around with an 'I don't care' expression.

"Where to ma'am." Harry says.

"Anywhere. As long as I can get some time away from him." Serena says.

"That's it. I can't stand you any longer Serena Yvonne." Ash says while taking Pikachu, getting out and slamming the door shut and walking off.

Serena gets sad for a moment but then ignores it and sits with a uncaring expression in the car.

"Where to ma'am." Harry asks again.

"KIP." Serena replies before turning her head and looking outside the window with a pissed off.

Meanwhile a pissed off Ash is aimlessly wandering for 20 minutes around Lumiose city. Pikachu is still perched on his shoulder.

"Man she is such a pain. I fall asleep in one movie and she starts acting like I did something unforgivable. Plus not to mention what about the tantrums I put up with. Who is the one who carries her shopping bags and always does what she wants? Has she ever done what I want? Kalos Queen my foot. Always blowing things out of proportion with her stupid ego." Ash says to Pikachu.

Pikachu however doesn't respond. Ash simply sighs and keeps walking ahead. He sees a stone on the road and kicks it hard. Ash watches as the stone flies in the air and lands in front of a cafe. He gets the shock of his life when he sees Brock and Lucy on a date in the cafe. He sees them laugh and blush and hold hands. As he does so he reminisces all the time he spent with Serena. From their first kiss to their first sex to their first dance. Ash becomes sad but then he shakes the sad feeling off. After a while he becomes sad again. He then again shakes it off. This cycle continues till he gets frustrated and suddenly kicks a tree in frustration causing him to yelp in pain while holding his foot and hopping. Pikachu sweat drops at his behavior. After cooling down a bit he decides he needs advice. He takes out his phone and dials the only person who he can trust for advice. His mom.

 **(Meanwhile in KIP)**

Serena unlocks her apartment. She leaves all of her Poke-balls on the table. She goes into her bedroom and slams the door shut. Like Ash she gets frustrated after a while. No one to help she starts crying on the bed. After 10 minutes she hears knocking on her bedroom door. Wiping her tears she says "Coming."

She unlocks the door only to find Grace standing there with a worried expression.

"Mom what are you doing here?" Serena says with sad face.

"Harry called me saying something happened between you and Ash. So I came to check up on you." Grace says. Upon hearing that, Serena buries her face into Grace's dress and starts crying profusely.

 **(Back in Lumiose City)**

"You did what?" Delia shouts at the top of her voice. Ash and Pikachu flinch upon hearing it.

"But mom" Ash says before being cut off.

"I don't care about any buts. You listen to me now and you listen well. Go back to her immediately and apologize." Delia says in a loud tone.

"Mom can you at least speak more softly." Ash says while sweat dropping.

"Fine. Now you listen to me. It is normal to fight in a relationship. It only brings you closer. People make mistakes. You fell asleep and she blew things out of proportion. But should such a stupid insignificant thing come between the 2 of you?"

"I guess not." Ash says.

"Finally I will say this Ash. This is your first fight but it won't be your last fight. I have been in Serena's shoes as well. I will say this. 7 times out of 10 the fault is generally that of the girl. Yet 8 times out of 10 the boy is the one apologizes. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because if it comes to choosing between expecting an apology and a pretty girl, men with common sense choose the second option. So you will too. Now go back to her this instant and apologize." Delia says moments before disconnecting.

"Damn it she is right. What if Serena is crying because of me. I am an idiot." Ash says while signaling for a taxi to stop.

 **(In Serena's Bedroom)**

"Oh Serena everything will be alright. But I will say this. You did make a big issue out of such a small thing." Grace says after Serena has settled down.

"I did?" Serena says in disbelief.

Grace smiles and says "Actually what Ash did was nothing compared to what your father did on our first date. He was so clumsy that not only did he show up half an hour late but also completely ruined my dress by spilling his drink all over it."

"He did? Then what happened?" Serena says in utter shock.

"Nothing. I just walked out completely angry like you did and didn't speak to him for a day. But then he asked me out again." Grace says while smiling.

Serena simply looks at Grace with a combination of awe and disbelief.

"So what Ash did with you is actually nothing compared to what your father did during our dating period." Grace says.

Serena gets sad when she realizes that she actually made a big deal out of the whole thing.

"He was right. I made a mountain out of a molehill for nothing. I am just the worst. I drove him away." Serena says as she starts crying again.

"Now now. Don't worry. Ash will come back." Grace says in a calm and reassuring tone.

"How do you know that?" Serena says while still crying.

"If you truly love one another then trust in your love. Trust in it sufficiently to be confidant that he will come back to you." Grace says while getting up and turning to the door to leave.

"You are leaving?" Serena questions her.

"Yes. This is between you and Ash. I can't come in the middle. You two must sort this out yourselves if you wish to succeed as a couple." Grace says before leaving Serena in deep thought.

After a while Grace is walking back to the Rhyhorn race track only to see Ash and Pikachu running at full speed towards the apartment. Upon seeing them she smiles to herself while continuing towards the race track.

 **(At the apartment)**

"Serene. Serena." Ash shouts the moment he enters the apartment. Upon hearing her name Serena comes out of their bedroom with tears in her eyes.

"Ash." Serena says with a tremor in her voice.

"Serena." Ash replies with the same tremor.

Both look at each other for a moment. Upon seeing each other they both run towards each other with tears coming out of their eyes. They both embrace each other with their eyes closed and hands tightly wrapped around each other.

After they both separate Ash puts his 2 palms on her cheeks and says "I am so so so sorry Serena. Please forgive me."

"I am sorry too." Serena says while kissing him on the lips.


	26. Cyllage City : Here We Come

**(20 Minutes Later)**

Ash and Serena are both cuddled with each other on the couch.

"I think we should fight more often." Ash says with a smile.

"Why?" Serena asks with a puzzled expression.

"So that I can cuddle with you more often." Ash says while pressing his face into her neck and kissing it.

"Ash you know you can cuddle with me whenever you want to right." Serena replies.

"I know. But then we won't get this natural feeling of wanting to cuddle." Ash says as he continues to kiss Serena's neck.

Serena giggles in delight. Suddenly a rumbling sound comes from Ash's stomach much to his embarrassment. Both of them look at each other for a moment before laughing.

"Maybe my Ashy needs some lunch before he can cuddle with me properly." Serena says while smirking.

Suddenly Ash's face becomes concerned and he sits up deep in thought.

"What's wrong Ash?" Serena says while sitting upright as well.

"Nothing. Now that you mentioned lunch something is bugging me. Something we were supposed to do but forgot." Ash quietly says.

Both Ash and Serena get immersed in thought when it suddenly hits them both at the same time.

They both look at each other and say in unison "We were supposed to meet Clemont after lunch. We are already half an hour late."

Both Ash and Serena jump out of the couch. They pick up everything needed and bolt out of the apartment.

 **(Half an hour Later)**

"Well we have reached Prism tower. Where is Clemont?" Serena asks Ash.

"If you are looking for my brother he is inside. Apparently one of the gym's electrical systems broke down an hour ago. He told me to wait here for you to tell you that he will be late." Bonnie says while approaching the couple.

"What a relief!" Ash and Serena say in unison.

"So how long is it going to take him?" Serena asks Bonnie.

"An hour at the most." Bonnie replies.

"That's excellent. We can get some food then." Ash says in excitement.

"I know I am starving." Serena replies.

"If you two don't mind may I come as well. I am also feeling kinda hungry." Bonnie says while looking at the couple hopefully.

Ash and Serena both look at each other and then say in unison "Sure."

 **(1 hour later)**

"That was good." Ash says with Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

Serena and Bonnie nod their heads in agreement. As they are walking they see Clemont waiting for them. Upon seeing them Clemont smiles and waves his hand.

"So Clemont ready to go?" Ash asks.

"Yup." Clemont says while putting on his bag pack.

"Alright then let's go to Serena's Limousine. We will get out at the end of Lumiose city and then walk to Cyllage City." Ash replies.

"Hold on a second. I can't leave just yet." Clemont says.

"Why not?" Ash asks Clemont.

"Well the thing is my dad Meyer is coming in 15-20 minutes to pick Bonnie up. When he comes then we can be about our way. In the mean time why not take a personalized tour of Prism Tower."

"That sounds like fun." Serena says.

All four of them agree and go inside Prism tower. They first come to the main door. A computerized voice speaks out "Welcome to the Lumiose Gym. If you wish to challenge the Gym leader for a Gym battle you need at least 4 badges."

Clemont calmly says "Override code Dedenne".

Upon hearing that the door open and a Computerized voice is heard again "Welcome to the Lumiose City Gym."

"Wow. That is so cool. You actually have a security system like that. It's incredible. It reminds me of Volkner's gym back in the Sinnoh region of course this one is even better." Ash says as he stares in marvel at the mechanization inside the Lumiose Gym.

"Volkner huh. I have heard of him. Isn't he a electric type gym leader like me?" Clemont questions Ash.

"Yup. You are right. He is very good friends with Flint of the Sinnoh elite four. He is a very good gym leader. I was actually pushed to the limit while battling him." Ash replies with a smile.

"Interesting." Clemont replies as the group keeps walking.

"Here is the battlefield surrounded by the viewing area." Bonnie says while gesturing to the battlefield.

"Nice." Serena says while continuing to walk.

Soon they see all the parts of the Prism Tower. Both Ash and Serena are quite impressed at the tour. They stop for a cup of tea in the living room. As they are sipping tea and talking Meyer enters the room and gives everyone a smile.

"Dad." Bonnie and Clemont shout as Bonnie leaps out of her chair and crashes into her dad for a hug.

"Hey Bonnie. Hey Dedenne. Hey Clemont. I see you have guests." Meyer say while waving at Ash and Serena.

"Hi I am Ash the KIP Champion." Ash says while bowing.

"Hi I am Serena the Kalos Queen." Serena says while smiling.

"I know who you two are. Clemont has told me all about you two. It is good that you are travelling with my son. It will be a good experience for him." Meyer says while grabbing a cup himself.

"So what do you do Meyer?" Ash asks him.

"Well I run an electronic store and when Clemont is not here I am the Lumiose City Gym Leader." Meyer says while taking a sip.

All 5 of them laugh and talk for about half an hour.

"Alright then. It was good to meet you both Meyer and Bonnie. But we really must be on our way now." Ash says while standing up. Clemont and Serena stand up as well.

All 5 of them get up and walk outside the gym.

"Alright then good luck kids. I hope you kids have fun and learn a lot. Just take care of my little boy. Will you?" Meyer says.

"Of course we will." Ash and Serena reply.

"And don't forget Clemont I will find you a keeper while you are travelling on the journey." Bonnie says with a mischievous smirk.

"Bonnie I have told you to stop doing that a million times." Clemont shouts at the top of his voice going completely red in embarrassment while the four of them laugh their lungs out.

After the 3 of them climb into Serena's Limousine they both wave Bonnie and Meyer goodbye as they drive away.

 **(After 20 minutes)**

The trio are once again on the road walking towards Cyllage City while Harry takes his Limousine to await them at Camphrier town.

"Good to be back on the road. Isn't it Pikachu." Ash says while walking.

"Pika." Pikachu says while agreeing.

Both Serena and Clemont smile at this. They keep walking on their way to Cyllage city gym.

 **(2 hours Later)**

"Why don't we take a break?" Serena says while barely able to stand on her feet.

"Yup. I agree." Clemont says while collapsing on the ground.

"A break is just what we need. Why not set up camp here an call it a night?" Ash says.

"An excellent idea. I will just whip up some food while you two set up the tents." Clemont says while taking out his cooking equipment.

"Alright then let's get to work." Ash says.

 **(1 hour Later)**

"I must say Clemont lovely stew. Goes well with Lumiose City bread. Also the Pokemon also seem to be eating well." Serena says while gesturing to all the Pokemon gorging on their food.

"Thanks no problem." Clemont replies.

"Here I have some Macaroons for desert." Serena says while opening a box and taking out 6 Macaroons with 2 each for the both of them.

"Excellent." Ash and Clemont say after finishing of their Macaroons. Serena smiles as she finishes her 2 macaroons.

Suddenly an explosion takes place in the woods nearby.

"What was that?" Clemont says while getting up.

"Could be trouble we should check it out." Ash says.

Both Serena and Clemont nod while all 3 of them recall all their Pokemon into their Poke-balls and run off towards the source of the explosion to investigate.


	27. Enter the Dragon

As Ash, Serena and Clemont walk cautiously through the woods they hear a man's voice "Well done Raichu."

Ash grabs Serena's hands and puts a finger on his lips to indicate to everyone to stay quiet. All of them silently crawl and hide behind a bush as they see a man not too older than them giving commands to a Raichu.

Ash upon looking closely realizes that this it is the man with whom he had an argument back in Santalune city.

"What is he doing here?" Ash says quietly but in a tone of annoyance.

"He?" Serena and Clemont whisper to each other in puzzlement.

"Do you know that man Ash?" Serena whispers back to Ash.

"Yeah." Ash replies as he tells them of their encounter back in Santalune City.

"What is his problem?" Serena whispers in a scoffed tone clearly annoyed at the fact someone actually had the nerve to talk to her boyfriend like that.

"Don't know don't care. But let's watch carefully for a moment. Looks like this man is doing some training." Ash replies while again gesturing to both of them to stay quiet.

Both Ash and Serena nod as they observe what is happening.

"Alright Raichu. Quick attack into Iron tail." the man commands.

Raichu vanishes from their view. Within a matter of seconds 10 trees come tumbling down in front of the man. A few moments later Raichu reappears in front of the man.

Ash, Serena and Clemont stare in shock at the display for they have never seen a quick attack and iron tail like that.

"Now Raichu use thunderbolt at 25% power." the man commands.

Raichu lets out a thunderbolt which immediately burns the cut down tree logs to a crisp.

Ash is shocked at this display as even his Pikachu can't pull that kind of power off.

"Did my ears deceive me or did he say 25% power at that thunderbolt. That has got to be the biggest f*****g thunderbolt I have seen in my entire life." Clemont whispers in disbelief.

"I know." Ash mouths back in equal disbelief.

"How can that be 25% power? It completely burnt those logs to a crisp !" Serena whispers in shock.

Both Ash and Clemont shrug their shoulders and the three of them turn towards where the man and his Raichu were standing.

"Where did he go?" Serena says as she can't see the man or his Raichu anywhere.

"He must have left when we were talking amongst ourselves." Clemont says as the three of them come out of hiding and look here and there.

"I guess he left. Well better call it a night as well." Ash says while yawning.

"I guess so." Serena and Clemont reply while giving a little yawn as well.

The three of them turn around to leave only to find the man they had been looking for has been standing there listening to their conversation all along.

"Not very polite to sneak up on other people." The man says with his eyes closed, serious expression and hand crossed.

All 3 of them gulp not knowing what to say. They both look at each other confused.

"So kids did you like that little display of power?" the man says while relaxing his face.

"U mm." all 3 of them of reply in unison not knowing what to say next.

"Let us go back to your camp. We can talk more easily there." The man says while turning around and walking away.

He then stops and says "Kids. You coming?" to the still dazed Ash, Serena and Clemont.

"Right." they reply in unison before following the man back to their camp.

 **(Back at the camp)**

The man is sitting in front of the bonfire with his arms crossed and with a serious expression with is eyes closed at same time. Ash, Serena, Clemont and Pikachu sit in uncomfortable silence while glancing at each other from time to time.

"So." the man finally says while opening his eyes causing the 4 of them to get startled for a second.

"What brings you here at this time of night?" he asks.

Ash musters some courage and says "We are camping out here on our way to Cyllage city for a gym battle."

"Interesting. So it would appear that you are on a journey together. Why don't the 3 of you introduce yourselves along with your goals in life?" the man says with a smile.

"U mm. My name is Ash Ketchum. This is my partner Pikachu. I am the KIP Champion right now. Soon I will challenge Diantha for her position as Champion to take a step closer to my goal to becoming a Pokemon master." Ash says.

"I am Serena Yvonne. The Kalos Queen. I am on my journey with my boyfriend Ash so that I can be with him and support him just like he has supported me." Serena says.

"I am Clemont the Lumiose City gym leader. I am coming along with them so that I can grow as a battler as well." Clemont says.

"I see. Very nice names and very admirable goals you have." the man says while smiling.

"What is your name sir?" Ash asks.

"My name is the Dragon Emperor. I am a Pokemon Master." the man says calmly as Ash, Serena, Clemont and Pikachu gape at him.

"The reaction I understand. You don't get to meet a Pokemon master now and then. Do you?" Dragon Emperor replies while giving a chuckle.

"You are a Pokemon Master. That's unbelievable I have never met one before." Clemont says in utter disbelief. Ash on the other hand is not convinced.

"I don't believe you. For all we know you could be lying. I challenge you to a battle. If you can beat me then I shall accept that you are a Pokemon Master." Ash says while getting up.

"A battle now?" the man asks Ash.

"Yeah unless you are scared or something." Ash says while smirking.

"Careful young man. Pride comes before the fall." the man calmly replies.

"Oh don't worry I don't plan on losing." Ash says with a tone of aggressiveness.

Dragon Emperor coolly smiles and then he says "Fine I accept your challenge. But since you have bought the challenge to me so I get to decide the rules."

"Fine by me." Ash replies.

"The rules are simple it will be a 1 on 3 battle. If any of your 3 Pokemon are standing after 2 minutes then you win." Dragon Emperor says.

Ash, Clemont and Serena are shocked at this unusual request.

"But why? I won't battle you when you are having such a numeric disadvantage." Ash replies with a degree of stubbornness.

"Relax kid. If you even used all of your Pokemon even then you won't win." Dragon Emperor replies calmly while getting up.

"Here kid I will even show what Pokemon I will be using Go Raichu." Dragon Emperor says while tossing his Poke-ball.

Ash meanwhile is not amused at what the Dragon Emperor just said.

"I am not a kid. I am the KIP Champion. You are cocky, old man. You will regret underestimating me. Go Pikachu, Charizard and Sceptile." Ash says while tossing 2 Poke-balls.

"I shall be the referee." Clemont says.

"We shall see about that. Clemont please start the time limit as well. You may have the first move Ash." Dragon Emperor says while standing with his arms crossed and a calm and calculating expression adorned on his face.

"Charizard use Flamethrower, Sceptile bullet seed and Pikachu Thunderbolt." Ash says.

Dragon Emperor smiles as he says "Raichu quick attack into 60% iron tail. Let's test their mettle."

Just before the 3 attacks are about to hit Raichu vanishes on the spot. A second later Ash, Serena and Clemont see three silver swipes as all 3 of Ash's Pokemon are sent flying and land in front of Ash with a thud. A moment later Raichu reappears where it was standing originally.

"What speed and power? I have never seen one iron tail do that to 3 Pokemon before." Clemont shouts as all 3 of Ash's Pokemon struggle to get up.

Ash stands dazed for a moment. He regains his composure and says "Speed tactic huh. Two can play that game. Pikachu and Sceptile use Quick attack as well."

Dragon Emperor again smiles and says "Quick attack one more time Raichu."

Seconds later Pikachu and Sceptile are sent flying only to be caught by Charizard.

"This is bad." Serena says in a concerned voice.

"Bad does not even describe it Serena. His Power, Speed and Precision are all at a different level. Ash is out of his league." Clemont says while sweat dropping at the level of Dragon Emperor's Raichu.

"Alright Ash I will let you land 1 attack before I counterattack. I would suggest you make it count." Dragon Emperor says calmly.

"I don't need your charity. Charizard Dragon Rage, Sceptile Bullet Seed, Pikachu Electroball." Ash yells in frustration.

"Stand there and take the attack." Dragon Emperor calmly replies.

Raichu simply stands his ground as all 3 three attacks hit it. An explosion takes place which upon settling reveals a Raichu standing as if nothing happened at all.

"It can't be. That didn't even put a scratch on it." Ash shouts while shaking in disbelief.

"As much as I would like to continue this enjoyable battle I must bring it to it's end. Raichu use thunderbolt at 40% power." Dragon Emperor commands.

"Charizard use Overheat, Sceptile Frenzy Plant and Pikachu use Thunderbolt to counter." Ash shouts in desperation.

However the Raichu's attack cuts through the 3 attacks as if they were nothing at all and land on their targets causing a huge explosion. All 3 of Ash's Pokemon are revealed to be knocked out after the smoke clears.

"I lost." Ash says while falling to his knees in a broken spirit.

"Oh Ash." Serena says while running to him, kneeling down and hugging him.

Clemont takes a look at his stopwatch to see the time at 1 minute 15 seconds. 'Who is this guy?' Clemont thinks to himself.

"Well done. I am most impressed with the performance of your Pokemon. Especially that Charizard of yours." Dragon Emperor says while recalling Raichu and giving a smile.

"I lost so badly and you are impressed with my Pokemon?" Ash asks in bewilderment while holding back his tears.

"Of course you lost. Did you forget you were actually battling a Pokemon Master? It won't be your first time and it definitely won't be your last. True Strength is knowing to get back up on your feet and trying again and True wisdom is to know your limits." Dragon Emperor replies while taking Ash's shoulder and pulling him up.

Ash, Serena and Clemont look in amazement at the Dragon Emperor as the Dragon Emperor takes out a few berries and gives them the Ash's 3 Pokemon for them to eat.

"Now these 3 should be recovered by morning. You can have them looked at in the Pokemon center you come across tomorrow." Dragon Emperor says after Charizard, Pikachu and Sceptile have eaten their berries.

"Why don't we all sit down." Clemont says while taking a seat. The 3 of them sit down as well. Ash, Serena and Clemont look at the seated Dragon Emperor in silence while the Dragon Emperor is drinking some water with a calm demeanor.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

"U mm. Excuse me." Ash says nervously while braking the silence.

"Yes what is it young man?" Dragon Emperor replies.

"I want to become a Pokemon Master like you. Do you have any advice for me." Ash says slowly.

"I don't have any advice for you." Dragon Emperor replies before pausing.

Ash gets sad on hearing that.

"Instead I have an offer for you. You and your girlfriend in fact." Dragon emperor says.

Ash, Serena & Clemont get surprised upon hearing that.

"What offer?" Ash asks with curiosity.

"An apprenticeship under me." the Dragon Emperor replies calmly. Ash, Serena & Clemont look with shock at Dragon Emperor upon hearing that.

"An a-a-apprenticeship u-u-under you-u?" Ash stammers.

"Yes." the Dragon Emperor coolly replies.

"But why? Not to be rude or anything sir you just met these two. Why would you offer them an apprenticeship without even knowing anything about them?" Clemont says while interjecting.

The Dragon Emperor smiles on hearing that. He chuckles then he says "I see that your sense of judgement is quite good. However you are wrong in assuming I don't know anything about these two. I saw his battle with Cynthia and I saw her performance. These 2 are destined for greatness. A shame how their talents are being wasted without having someone to guide them to their true potential."

All 3 of them stare at the Dragon Emperor in silence.

"If you are serious. That is about being a Pokemon Master." Dragon Emperor says while giving Ash a serious look. His eyes peering into Ash's eyes.

"I am." Ash replies with a serious tone.

"In that case you will have to become my student because the only way to become a Pokemon Master is to be trained by one and I am the only Pokemon Master at the moment who is willing to train a student."

"I accept. Please teach me." Ash says in an ecstatic voice.

"Hold on to your horses young man and let me finish my proposal first." The Dragon Emperor says while raising a hand.

"OK. Please go right ahead." Ash replies.

"Either you and your girlfriend both become my students or neither of you do. That is the condition."

Ash, Serena and Clemont look at each other is shock.

"Why this weird condition?" Clemont says.

"I have my reasons." Dragon Emperor replies coolly.

"But why me?" Serena blurts out.

"Because I see something in you. Something that even you don't see in yourself." The Dragon Emperor replies.

"But I want to be a Pokemon Performer. It is my passion. I don't think becoming a Pokemon master is my goal." Serena says.

"Don't worry about that I will train you for Performances as well. Under my guidance you will be the longest reigning Kalos Queen in the history of Kalos Queens. But my condition about both of you training together under me will not change. Either you both train or neither of you do." Dragon Emperor replies with a serious tone.

Ash, Serena and Clemont look at each other wondering what to do.

"I can see you are confused and it is a lot to take in. No problem. Why don't you take the night to think about it. Give me your answer in the morning. But the decision you take must be yours and yours alone." Dragon Emperor says while getting up, turning around and leaving.

However before leaving he stops and says "Think about this very carefully. If you reject my offer there will be no second time. Also Serena I know that becoming a Pokemon Master is not a part of your goal in life. But your refusal means denying Ash his goal. You two are in a relationship together. That means taking sacrifices for one another. Don't worry I will teach you about Pokemon performances as well I give you my word. Think very carefully about this you two for this is no joking matter. You could refuse and be a Champion for some years and A Kalos Queen for a couple of years more or you could come with me on a journey that will change your lives forever in ways you thought were not even possible."

Then the Dragon Emperor walks away till he completely vanishes into the darkness of the night. There is pin drop silence in the camp. Ash and Serena both look at each other wondering at what to do.

Clemont says "I think you two need to talk this amongst yourselves. But if you ask my opinion I would say yes. You both saw how strong he was. Just think about what you two can learn from him. It will be an incredible opportunity to pass up. Beside he will teach you about Pokemon Performances as well Serena think about what you could learn. Still it is your decision at the end of the day. I hope you guys make the right decision for yourselves." before walking into his tent and going to sleep.

Ash and Serena meanwhile both gaze at each other while occasionally staring into the bonfire from time to time.


	28. The Decision

**(Next Morning)**

Clemont comes out of his tent to see Serena asleep in Ash's arms while Ash is sleeping while next to the now gone out bonfire with his back rested against a log.

"I guess these 2 got so tired that they forgot to even go inside their tent after finishing their discussion." Clemont says to himself while smiling.

Clemont freshens up and then starts to get breakfast ready. The scent and sound of the breakfast being cooked wakes both Ash and Serena up.

"Morning sweetheart." Ash mumbles in a sheepish manner as Serena opens her eyes as as well.

Serena gives a sleepy smile before giving him a good morning kiss. After the kiss is over they both get up and stretch their hands and legs while yawning to get rid of their lethargy.

"How did you two sleep? Must have been a little uncomfortable sleeping like that?" Clemont says as both Ash and Serena walks towards him.

"Good morning to you as well Clemont. Slept fine actually. We fell asleep while watching the stars." Serena says while looking for her water bottle.

"Alright you two. Go get cleaned up. He is here." Clemont says while pointing a finger at Dragon Emperor who is approaching their camp.

"Right." both Ash and Serena say in unison.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

Ash, Serena, Clemont and all the other Pokemon are eating their breakfast while Dragon Emperor is calmly waiting for them to finish. Like always he has serious yet calm and calculating face. His eyes are closed and his arms are crossed around each other.

"Wonder what's with that attire of his. It's like he is always deep in thought." Serena whispers to Clemont and Ash.

Ash shrugs meanwhile Clemont says "Sir would you like some breakfast? We would be happy to share. There is plenty."

"Thank you young man for that kind offer but I have already eaten. Kindly continue on. After you finish I need to have a word with the three of you." Dragon Emperor replies while staying in the same mysterious attire.

"So much for appreciation." Serena whispers.

"Well I thought he gave a little smile when he gave Clemont a reply." Ash whispers back.

"Well guys let's eat quickly. I am not sure keeping him waiting is the best thing to do under the circumstance." Clemont whispers back.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Well have the 2 of you reached a decision?" Dragon Emperor says while opening his eyes for the first time this morning in front of them.

"We have. We discussed it at length last night. We agree." Serena says.

"Good. I was hoping for that answer." Dragon Emperor replies while relaxing his facial expression a bit.

"Sir may I train under you too sir?" Clemont suddenly says.

Dragon Emperor looks at Clemont's determined face for a moment.

"I am afraid I must decline your request." Dragon Emperor replies.

"But why?" Serena asks while Clemont is looking disappointed.

"He does not have the inner strength to handle my training. He still has a long way to go before acquiring the level of maturity needed to undergo my training. I can't be the cause of any misfortune to happen to him should he go through my training without being ready to receive it." Dragon Emperor says quietly.

"Come on you can make an exception for Clemont." Ash says.

"Your trust in your friend is admirable but the path that you 2 are about to take is not meant for everyone. If everyone could become a Pokemon master then soon the world would be crawling with Pokemon masters with no one left to become a doctor, or an engineer or a researcher or something else. The path that he will take will be different from the path you two will take." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

Ash and Serena are feeling sorry for Clemont. Clemont feels guilty about making his friends sad in the morning. He quickly says "Don't worry guys. Dragon Emperor is right. Besides now that I think about it I may not have the stomach for his training."

"Indeed. But don't worry Clemont. I won't leave you high and dry. There are a few things you need to learn in order to become a better gym leader. I will not take you as a proper student but I will teach you something about Pokemon as I have done several times in the past with promising trainers I have come across like you." Dragon Emperor says.

"You will? Thank you so much sir." Clemont says while bowing his head.

"No need to get so formal young man. Sit up and relax." Dragon Emperor says then he turns to Serena & Ash.

"You two are among the very few people in this world who will get a chance to learn the ways of the Pokemon as you train to become Pokemon masters. The journey you will take shall take you to places and heights you never imagined. You will learn things that you've never even dreamed about. I will be honest with you. As you progress with you training your skills and capabilities shall increase and so will the danger." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

Ash and Serena both look at each other the moment they hear the word danger. Then they turn to Dragon Emperor and ask in unison "What danger?"

"That I can't tell you for the time is not right. But for now know this. You two will take the first step on your path to becoming Pokemon master under my guidance. That is just like a ship entering uncharted territories. It is exciting and adventurous. But you know what they say with new territory comes new danger. It will sometimes come in a form you know and have encountered before. Other times it will come in a way you don't know. Rest assured whether you want to or not the danger will come one way or another." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

Ash and Serena look a little uncomfortable after all this talk of danger that they will have to face. Even Clemont is wearing a serious expression because he knows that the Dragon Emperor is not joking around.

"If the danger comes in a form we don't know how are we supposed to fight it?" Ash asks.

"There is no right way of doing that Ash. All I will say is this. Trust in yourselves. Trust in each other. Trust in your love and you will prevail. Besides you won't be alone. I will be there for you that is if you put your complete faith in me." Dragon Emperor replies.

Ash and Serena both look at each other tying to digest what the Dragon Emperor just said when suddenly the Dragon Emperor stands up to their surprise.

"So tell me you 2. Do you trust in the bond of love you share?" Dragon Emperor asks Ash and Serena is a clear and serious voice.

Ash and Serena both look at each other for a second. They nod and then they both turn to Dragon Emperor and say "We do." in unison.

"Very well then that is settled. I am the Dragon Emperor a Pokemon Master and you two ,Ash and Serena, are my apprentices."

"Thank you so much. I hope we 2 will not let you down sir." Serena says.

"Good to hear that. However in future now that you are my students you will address me by Dragon Emperor over Sir or Teacher, I prefer it that way." Dragon Emperor replies.

"OK." Ash says while giving Dragon Emperor a smile.

"Good now you have 15 minutes. Pack everything. It is time to hit the road." Dragon Emperor says while dismissing them.

"Right." the three of them say before hurrying off to pack everything in their backpacks and hit the road again. As they are packing everything up Dragon Emperor smiles and then turns to look at the clouds floating in the sky.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

"So Dragon Emperor tell us how did you become a Pokemon Master?" Ash asks the Dragon Emperor with enthusiasm.

"When I was your age my master made me a similar promise. Needless to say I accepted." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Wow. What was he like?" Ash asks.

Dragon Emperor smiles before saying "That story is for another time. Come on let's take a left here."

"But this will take us off course. Cyllage City is that way." Ash says.

"Correct. We are not going to Cyllage City." Dragon Emperor replies.

"But." Ash says before being cut off.

"the thing is when the teacher says to go left the student should say "Yes sir." instead of protesting." Dragon Emperor says in a sharp tone.

"U mm. Right sorry." Ash quickly says while scratching the back of his hair while Serena and Clemont walk in silence.

 **(2 hours later)**

"Excuse me Dragon Emperor where are we headed? It doesn't show any towns this way." Clemont asks while looking at his Holocaster's map.

"This is one of the best places to train when it comes to Pokemon training without the presence of people to interfere. The air is extremely fresh and there are a lot of Pokemon around. If we walk for another 20 minutes we should come across a clearing by a spring next to a Bamboo forest. It is there we shall set up camp. We shall be here for a week before moving on to the next spot like this." Dragon Emperor says while continuing to walk. Ash however is a little sad that he won't get to challenge the Cyllage city gym for at least a week.

Serena sees that Ash is a little upset so she asks Dragon Emperor "What about Ash's gym battles?"

"Don't worry about that. I give you my word before your four months are over Ash will have all 8 badges in his hand. But for now I want to keep this quiet." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Why quiet?" Ash asks.

"Tell me Ash when you battled Seibold why did you not use Thunder Punch from the start?" Dragon Emperor questions Ash.

"I wanted to use it at exactly the right time. I kept it back like an ace." Ash replies.

"Exactly. The same applies here. You will keep this training to yourselves and yourselves alone till I tell you otherwise. I don't want other people interfering in matters they don't understand. No mention of me or this training to anyone. Not even to your family." Dragon Emperor says in a serious tone.

"Not even to our mom?" Ash and Serena say in unison.

"You will tell them that you are just training in the wilderness. There will be no mention of me, my offer or what techniques and knowledge you have been taught. You will not be lying to them. Just not telling them the complete truth for a while. But I need your word on this from the 3 of you." Dragon Emperor says.

"Fine." Ash, Serena and Clemont say in a grumpy fashion.

"I am serious about this. I don't care for false promises. Say it like you mean it." Dragon Emperor says in a loud and commanding voice.

"We promise." Ash, Serena and Clemont shout quickly in unison while also sweat dropping.

"That's better. Now let us get going shall we. Our campsite is not far." Dragon Emperor says while relaxing his facial expression and walking ahead.

"Phew that was close." the 3 mutter before resuming their walk.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

"Alright. Set up camp here and cook lunch. We will commence training after lunch. Till then you 3 are free to do whatever you please. But before you get going Ash and Serena please bring out all your Pokemon and introduce them to me.

Ash finishes introducing his Pokemon. When Serena is about to introduce her Pokemon suddenly her phone starts to ring. She checks who is calling and says "Guys it's my mom."

"Alright pick it up. But remember your promise." Dragon Emperor says moments before Serena accepts the call.

"Hi mom. How's it going?" Serena says.

"It's going good dear. So how is your journey with Ash going so far?" Grace says over the line.

"Good. But why are you calling right now mom." Serena asks.

"Oh right I forgot. Harry called me. Told me you hadn't reached Camphrier town yet so he got worried and called me to inform me of your delay. Now that I mentioned it why did you get delayed?"

"Oh nothing mom. Just stopped by with Ash and Clemont to do some training is all. Don't worry I will call Harry to let him know of this. Love you Bye."

"I love you too. Take care of Ash."

"I will." Serena says while cutting the line.

"Who is Harry?" Dragon Emperor asks.

Clemont sets up the lunch while Serena and Ash explain the arrangement they made with Harry to avoid unnecessary attention from the media regarding Serena's journey with Ash.

"I see. Well this is a good thing. If you have a car then it will be even easier for you two to travel from gym to gym which means more time for your training. Alright listen up Serena call up Harry. Tell him exactly what you told your mother. Then tell him to wait in Camphrier town till he gets your call. In the meanwhile show me your Pokemon." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Sure. Here you go." Serena says as she tosses all her Poke-balls while dialing Harry's number.

Dragon Emperor examines at Serena's Pokemon with interest as she talks with Harry. After she finishes her conversation he congratulates them both on raising their Pokemon very well.

"Alright now you 2 go and set up camp. Clemont come with me." Dragon Emperor replies while walking away.

After walking for a 15 minutes they both come to a large meadow where many Pokemon are present.

"Clemont your biggest shortcoming as a Pokemon trainer is your guts. Your unwillingness to tackle unfamiliar situations. That is the problem we will solve in this training session. Do you see those Tauros?" Dragon Emperor says while gesturing to a large group of Tauros grazing.

"I do? What about them?" Clemont says.

"Your job is to catch one of them and then master riding one." Dragon Emperor says.

"R-Ride O-One." Clemont stutters while completely terrified at the prospect of riding one.

"Yes. I can see that you are afraid. Good. This training will then go a long way in improving your level as a trainer, that is if you can pass this hurdle which is holding you back. Alright return to camp with me. After lunch is over you will begin your work immediately." Dragon Emperor says while turning around and walking back to camp.

"R-Right." Clemont says before following suit as well.

After both return to camp they see that Ash and Serena have almost finished setting up the camp.

"Clemont go finish making lunch now. Come here you two." Dragon Emperor says while sitting down.

"After lunch we will start with your training. Today's training will be a theoretical training sessions. We will start from the ground up. The very basics. As your level increases so will complexity of your lessons. We will start by covering the basics of Pokemon. Types, Type Adv/Disadvantages, Basic of battling, Status Conditions, Abilities, Move Set etc."

"But why from the ground up? We already know all that. Won't it be better to learn about stuff like Mega Evolution." Ash says.

"I agree. It will save time too." Serena says as well.

"If you want to obtain knowledge from me and become my students then you will have to begin from the very start with me as your guide. Then and only then will your journey be from a superior to an all superior Pokemon trainer." Dragon Emperor says in a loud and booming voice.

"Sorry." Both of them say in unison before gulping.

"Once you have mastered all these. Then we will move to advanced battle strategies like Mega Evolution, Z-Moves etc." Dragon Emperor replies with a softer tone.

"Z-Moves what are those?" Ash asks with interest.

Dragon Emperor smiles before saying "You will find out soon enough. If you study well and hard enough. The sooner you will get to find out."

"I don't mean to interrupt but lunch is ready." Clemont says.

"Let's go. Before we begin lunch go into that forest. There are several Citrus and Oran berry trees in that forest. You will pluck the ripe ones and mix them in your Pokemon's food before eating your own food." Dragon Emperor says while taking a seat.

"What about your Pokemon Dragon Emperor?" Serena asks.

"Don't worry about them. Just get a lot of berries for my six Pokemon as well. They won't need Pokemon food only nutritious berries will do." Dragon Emperor replies while tossing his 10 Poke-balls to reveal a Raichu, Dragonite, Lapras, Meganium, Steelix, Hariyama, Aerodactyl, Aurorus, Dusclops and Sylveon.

"You have a Sylveon as well." Serena says with happiness.

"Yes I do. But hurry along now. The Pokemon are getting hungry." Dragon Emperor says while gesturing her to go ahead.


	29. More to the Punch than Meets the Eye

**(After Lunch is Over)**

"Well today we were going to start of by a theoretical lesson. But since this will be your first lesson I thought it will be better to make this a practical lesson. Alright you two bring out all your Pokemon which can use any type of punch moves. It can be anything ice punch, power up punch, hammer arm, thunder punch, focus punch anything.

Ash and Serena nod as they toss their Poke-balls and release their Pokemon.

"Good. Now follow me." Dragon Emperor says while walking towards the Bamboo Forest next to their camp.

After a while he comes to a halt in front of two stone boulders. He turns to Ash and Serena and says "Alright. Let's see what your Pokemon can do. See these 2 boulders. Have one of your Pokemon come here and punch that rock with a punch type move. I want to see at what level your Pokemon are."

"Right. Pancham use arm thrust on the boulder on the left." Serena says.

"Snorlax ice punch on the other boulder." Ash says.

Both Pokemon attack the boulders with their respective moves. Two minor explosion takes place revealing 2 partially broken boulders.

"Not bad. Both the Speed and Power of your Pokemon are quite good." Dragon Emperor says.

Ash and Serena both light up upon hearing that.

"However all that is quite useless." Dragon Emperor replies causing the duo's expressions to drop.

"I now see the level at which to begin." Dragon Emperor says while bending down and picking up 2 bamboo leaves.

"Come here you two." He says to a confused Ash and Serena.

"Alright." Both of them reply in a confused way.

"Here take this." Dragon Emperor says while handing them both a leaf.

"What do you want us to do with it?" Serena says.

"I want you to shred it by punching it with your fist." Dragon Emperor replies.

Ash and Serena both look in a flabbergasted manner at Dragon Emperor at this odd request.

"Are you kidding me? This is the special training that will make us Pokemon masters? By now I could have got my badge at the Cyllage city gym. Instead I am here wasting my time to punch a leaf." Ash replies in a frustrated manner.

"Well if it so easy why don't you do it? Unless you are scared that is." Dragon Emperor replies with a taunt.

"You think I can't shred a stupid leaf. Well there you go." Ash says while letting go of his leaf and punching it with his free hand. However the leaf simply bounces of his fist and continues falling to the ground as if nothing happened at all.

At first he is stunned at what happened. He looks first at Serena who is equally shocked. Then he looks at the Dragon Emperor who is amused.

"If you fail once you should try again. Isn't that your motto. Never give up till the end." Dragon Emperor says while smirking.

Ash clenches his fist in frustration. He bends and picks up the leaf and tries again but the same thing happens again.

"You too." Dragon Emperor says to Serena who is too busy looking shocked at what is happening.

"Right." she replies before starting to do exactly what Ash is doing.

"This will be fun." The Dragon Emperor thinks to himself before sitting down on the ground as he watches them both fail miserably.

 **(1 hour Later)**

Both Ash and Serena are exhausted by their repeated failed attempts as they drop to their knees out of desperation.

"Ironic isn't it. The Ash Ketchum who beat a mega evolved Blastoise lies here defeated by a leaf." Dragon Emperor says while smirking.

"If you can do it. Why not do it yourself?" Ash says in an annoyed tone.

Dragon Emperor smiles. He bends and picks up a leaf. He lets it go in mid air. In an instant his fist moves towards the leaf with great speed which upon contact with it shreds into tiny pieces.

Ash and Serena are shell shocked as they stare at the Dragon Emperor.

"How" Ash says before being cut off.

"Did I do that? I did it because unlike the 2 of you I used my brains." Dragon Emperor replies.

Both Ash and Serena realize that there was more to this than they thought.

"We are sorry." They both say in unison with bowed heads. Upon hearing that the Dragon Emperor smiles.

"Good. It seems my students have learnt their first lessons. Lesson Number 1 : Always respect your teacher. Lesson Number 2 : Don't use only your eyes to judge a situation. Sometime there can be more to a situation than meets the eye. Lesson 3 before doing a task rid yourself of all ego and over confidence, for they can cloud your sense of judgement. Have you 2 learnt these lessons?" He says.

Both Ash and Serena nod.

"Good. Now coming back to what you two were doing. What was happening?" Dragon Emperor asks them.

"U mm. Let me think about that." Serena says while closing her eyes. Ash does the same.

A few moments later Serena says "Our attacks weren't working because they had no effect."

"That's right. The leaves were simply bouncing off our fist. No energy was being transferred from the punch to the leaf." Ash cries.

"Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. You are both completely right." Dragon Emperor says.

"But why did your punch work Dragon Emperor?" Ash asks him.

"You may possess the strength to break a boulder like the one your Pokemon just broke with the power of your fist but a leaf will simply laugh at your waste of effort. To break a leaf you don't need great power or strength. To break it you must learn to focus your attack's power into a single point. That is what this lesson is about. Focus. How to increase your Pokemon's attack power and your strength by focusing it in the right way." Dragon Emperor replies punching another leaf and shredding it in front of their eyes.

"Cool. How do we do that?" Ash says while looking excited.

"Patience young man. If you really want to learn it you will have to work hard. It will be painful too mind you." Dragon Emperor says.

"I will do it." Ash replies with confidence. Serena nods in agreement.

"Good. Then get in a line with all of your Pokemon." Dragon Emperor says while moving.

After all of them are in line.

"Good now get down on the ground face first. Once you are on the ground. Lift yourselves on you toes and hands just like a push up." Dragon Emperor says.

"This seem to be doable." Serena says while breathing heavily.

"Alright now lift your palm into the air while balancing your body weight on your fingertips and toes." Dragon Emperor says.

"What?" Ash and Serena shout in unison.

"You didn't think the training would be a walk in the park. Did you? This training is intense. It will help you learn how to focus power in a single point namely in this case your fingertips and toes. Stay in the position for half an hour. If you fall down get up and do till you finish your total half an hour." Dragon Emperor says.

Both Ash and Serena gulp as already their bodies are shaking uncontrollably along with a pain building up in their body especially in their fingertips.

After a few minutes "The pain will go. Remember there is no real pain. It is just a signal from your brain to stop. Keep your focus on not giving in and you will prevail."

Apart from Ash, Serena and Snorlax all the Pokemon are doing fine though they are still shaking. Suddenly Ash and Serena collapse on the floor.

"I can't take it anymore. Can I have a break." They both say in unison.

"Back on your finger tips. You still have 20 minutes to go. Then a good break after that. Now quit sulking around and back to work." Dragon Emperor says while dismissing them and moving forward to inspect how each and every Pokemon is doing.

 **(30 minutes later)**

"That has got to be the most excruciating experience of my life." Serena says while looking at her red, swollen hands which are still shaking uncontrollably. Ash doesn't say anything for he is in the same predicament. Both are red and sweating furiously and not to mention extremely tired. The Pokemon are also quite panned out by this exercise however they are faring better than their trainers.

"Alright. Now take one of these bowl. They contain lukewarm water and a few herb extracts. Massage your hand while keeping your finger soaked in the warm water for 5 minutes. Your hands will be as good as new. After your hands are back to normal we shall continue with the next lesson." Dragon Emperor says.

 **(10 minutes later)**

"Unbelievable. 10 minutes ago my fingers were red and swollen with pain. Now they are just back to normal. What was in that finger bowl Dragon Emperor?" Serena asks.

"The herb mix in the warm water is a recipe that has been closely guarded and handed down among Pokemon Masters and their disciples for centuries. For now just use it. When the time comes I will teach you how to make it." Dragon Emperor replies with a smile.

Both Ash and Serena nod.

"Good. Now for the first day this was enough. I know that you are tired so no more practical lessons. Now you can give your Pokemon a rest inside their Poke-balls. We shall not be needing them for the next lesson." Dragon Emperor says.

"OK." Ash and Serena reply while recalling their Pokemon into their balls.

"Alright now I have another surprise for you." Dragon Emperor says while getting up and walking towards his bag pack. He brings the bag pack to where Ash and Serena are sitting.

He opens the bag and brings out 2 containers containing 2 Pokemon eggs.

"Is that hat I think it is?" Serena asks.

"Yes. These are Pokemon eggs." Dragon Emperor replies while handing Ash the container with a egg with a dark brown and light brown patches pattern and handing Serena the egg with snow white color pattern.

"A tradition in the training of new students in the ways of a Pokemon Master is to have them raise their own eggs. Raising a Pokemon from an egg not only test your skills as a trainer but also teaches you new ways n which you can bond with Pokemon." Dragon Emperor says.

"Which Pokemon eggs are these?" Ash asks as both he and Serena examine their eggs with curiosity.

"Your's is a Rockruff egg. A rock type Pokemon form the Alola region and Serena's is an ice type Alolan Vulpix egg. Both should hatch within a day or 2." Dragon Emperor says.

"The Alola region? I have never heard of it? Can you please tell me more." Ash says in excitement.

"Of course. The Alola region is a region which consists of a group of islands. It is very unique in the sense that the Pokemon there are unique in their appearances and properties due to the hot and extremely sunny climate there. For example the normal Vulpix in reddish pink in color and is a fire type whereas the Alolan Vulpix which is going to hatch from Serena's egg is white in color and is an ice type. Alola region also happens to be the birthplace of Z-Moves." Dragon Emperor says.

"Wow." Both Ash and Serena say in unison.

"When will we get to learn about Z moves?" Ash asks Dragon Emperor.

"When you are ready and have mastered the basics first. Now Ash I have specifically chosen Rockruff for you because of 2 reasons. The first reason is because it is a Rock type on of the few types you don't have with you right now currently. Second reason this is one of the few rock types which have very high speed, mobility and agility. I am confidant it will become a great partner for you." Dragon Emperor says while Ash takes of his jacket and puts it around the container.

"As for you the reason have chosen Alolan Vulpix for you Serena is because firstly it is an ice type something which you don't have. Secondly a well trained ice type will give you access to several new performance routines. Being a small, agile and cute Pokemon it should do very well in Performances as well."

Serena smiles at Dragon Emperor and then puts her arms around the container just like a mother embraces her child.

"Alright. Now remember both will hatch within a day or two so take care of them." Dragon Emperor says while Ash and Serena get up together holding their respective Pokemon eggs in their containers.

"Anything else?" they both ask Dragon Emperor in unison.

"No. You 2 did very well for your first day so no more training for today. However you will do one thing." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"What is that?"

"I want you both to take out Serena's laptop and summarize today's event. What techniques, training methods, lessons, information etc you received today. Everything. Have it ready for me before tea time." Dragon Emperor says while standing up and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Serena asks.

"To check up on your friend Clemont. I need to see how far he has gone with his training too you know." Dragon Emperor replies while walking away.

Both Ash and Serena smile before walking away towards their camp while holding hands.


	30. Learning about Pokemon

**(10 Minutes Later)**

Dragon Emperor is standing silently as he watches Clemont being sent flying from the back of his agitated jumping Tauros for the 1000th time possibly.

"Alright that is enough fooling around. Recall your Tauros and take a break." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right." Clemont groans while recalling his caught Tauros to its Poke-ball and walking towards Dragon Emperor.

"So Clemont tell me. Why do you think the Tauros was jerking you off and refusing to let you ride it?" Dragon Emperor asks Clemont.

"I don't know." Clemont says while brushing of the dirt off his clothes.

"The reason is because it sensed your nervousness when you got on its back. A Pokemon only behaves as its trainer does. The shaking hands, that fast paced gulping breath, the sweaty palms all those told Tauros that you were nervous and that is why it refused to let you ride it."

"But then what do I do?" Clemont asks the Dragon Emperor.

"The only way out of this problem is to go in with strength. Pokemon especially the ones we ride like Tauros or Rhyhorn respect strength in its trainer above all else. Do that and you will master the Pokemon as well."

"Right. So I need to go strong and show Rhyhorn my physical strength." Clemont says with a determined face.

"It is not just about physical strength. This is about inner strength too." Dragon Emperor says while walking away.

"What do you mean by inner strength?" Clemont calls out after him.

Dragon Emperor stops in his tracks for a moment. He turns around and says "If I need to tell you that then all this training is futile. You might as well go home now." before walking away.

 **(Back in the camp)**

"What do you think Clemont is doing right now?" Serena asks Ash after they both finish typing the summary for today's practical lesson.

"I don't know." Ash says while shrugging his shoulders in response.

"Well what do you think about the egg he gave us? Plus do you not think it is strange that he had these 2 eggs handy for us all this time. Also what kind of a name is Dragon Emperor? A little suspicious if you ask me." Serena says.

"On that point I agree. Having 2 Pokemon eggs in your bag pack from another region for students you just met a day ago is a little suspicious. But .." Ash says before being cut off.

"But what Ash?" Serena questions.

"But I think we should trust him. He is strong we do know that. He is teaching us things we didn't know about. No one told him to do so yet he is doing it for us. For now I am willing to put my trust in him." Ash replies.

"Even I trust him oddly for some reason. However do you think we should not tell anyone about it? Not even our moms?" Serena says.

"I for one don't mind. If we are doing some super secret training then I think it would be better that we didn't tell anyone about it. That will give us a huge advantage over other trainers. I for one think it's an exceptionally bad idea if we tell our mom's about it. They will totally freak." Ash says.

"Yup I guess you are right there. Oh look here he comes." Serena says while pointing a finger toward the approaching Dragon Emperor.

"Serena I am feeling a little thirsty. Would you mind if I could get a cup of fresh tea." Dragon Emperor says while taking a seat.

"Not at all. I will make some tea for the 3 of us." Serena says while getting up.

 **(15 minutes Later)**

"So now it is time for your theoretical lesson. Take out your laptop because you will be taking notes throughout the lesson." Dragon Emperor says.

Ash and Serena nod as Serena opens her laptop.

"This knowledge which I will impart to you over this week will be very vital to learn. It is the knowledge about Pokemon types. We shall learn what are the different type of Pokemon, What are their strengths and weaknesses. How to classify Pokemon. etc" Dragon Emperor says.

Ash raises his hand.

"Yes what is it young man?"

"Not to be interrupting or anything but we already know all this stuff. Will it not be better to just skip this part?" Ash asks the Dragon Emperor.

"Yes it is true that you have learnt this stuff already. But the knowledge you have been imparted is rather incomplete. The knowledge I will impart to you right now will include stuff that even your Professors at KIP have no clue about. The knowledge that a Pokemon Master has."

"Cool. I can't wait." Ash say with a smile.

"Alright then first tell me how many different types of Pokemon are there by type?" Dragon Emperor says.

"That is easy. There are 18 types. They are Bug, Grass, Dark, Ground, Dragon, Ice, Electric , Normal, Fairy, Poison, Fighting, Psychic, Fire, Rock, Flying, Steel, Ghost and finally Water type." Serena replies.

"Excellent write this point down in your laptop. Bu before you do that. Here is what you will do. Make a directory. This directory will be password protected with 3 different layers of passwords. One password will be known by you, one by Ash and the last one by me. That way no one will be able to access the information without the 3 of us being present. After the 3 passwords are confirmed only then will you get access to the directory which will have 2 sub-directories which will be Practical Lesson sub-directory and Theoretical Lesson security feature will be set up by Clemont. Tell him to make it's security without any loop holes. Inside these sub-directories there will more sub-directories which will be named the same as the date on which they are created. These directories will store all the summaries and other forms of data you will store from the activities of the day." Dragon Emperor says while pausing to take a sip of his tea.

Serena nods as she does exactly what the Dragon Emperor ask her to do.

"Alright now tell me what is the relationship of the type of a Pokemon and it's DNA genome sequence." Dragon Emperor asks.

Both Ash and Serena look at each other puzzled. The they turn to Dragon Emperor and nod their heads to indicate they don't know.

"A Pokemon's type is determined by the DNA strands in it's genome. A Pokemon's DNA can be classified into 2 types. The first type in known among the Pokemon masters as the local DNA and the second type is the class DNA. The class DNA is the one which determines which type the Pokemon has. For example take Pokemon Fennekin. It's class DNA is of an fire types. The point to remember is that Class DNA of a particular type is the same across all Pokemon of that type."

"Wow. I have heard the professors talk about Pokemon DNA but I have never heard them being able o separate the DNA into such classes." Serena says while typing away.

"That is because the the DNA of both Class and Local strands are not situated in on place in a separate manner. They are intermixed among each other. The Prof. still don't know how to differentiate which strand is which." Dragon Emperor replies.

"But you do?" Ash replies in a surprised tone.

"Like I said Ash. You will be learning stuff you have never heard or imagined about. When the time comes I will teach you all these things in a far more detailed and advanced level. Soon you will be teaching the Professors about Pokemon. But the time for that is not now. For now we cover the basics."

"OK." Ash and Serena reply thrilled at the prospect of learning such stuff.

"Now as I was saying the class DNA is responsible for giving the Pokemon its type. But soon a the number and variety of Pokemon increased and they were studied more and more exceptions came into picture. What these exceptions are we will study in detail at a much later level but for now we will study only 2 main exceptional cases. The first is that of Pokemon with more than one type. For example take Charizard. It is not just a fire type but a flying type too right. So tell me what do you think happens in this case?"

"U mm. I guess the class DNA is both flying and fire type." Serena says.

Upon hearing that the Dragon Emperor's face lights up. He says "Excellent. You are absolutely right. In such cases the Class DNA is a mixture of Fire type and Flying type. I can see that you have a very powerful sense of intuition. You will go far in life Serena." Dragon Emperor replies.

Serena smiles upon being complimented. Ash smiles as well.

"Continuing on. Serena's answer is right. Another thing which was noticed is the proportion of the Class DNA of each type in the mix is determined by the number of moves it can use of that particular type. However what is the exact relationship is still a matter of ongoing research." Dragon Emperor replies.

"I see. So there are mysteries about the Pokemon that even Pokemon Master don't know about?" Ash says to which Dragon Emperor nods.

"Now moving on to the next exceptional case let us take your Charizard only Ash. Tell me this have you ever wondered that despite being a fire and flying type why your Charizard can use so many Dragon type moves as well?" Dragon Emperor questions Ash.

"U mm. I guess Charizard also has Dragon type class DNA?" Ash replies.

"Your answer is correct to a certain extent. Originally when this problem was observed the same solution that you just said was proposed however there was a problem with this assumption."

"What was the problem Dragon Emperor?" Serena and Ash ask in unison with eagerness.

"The problem was that if that was the case then the strength of Charizard's Dragon type moves should have been at the same level as that of a Dragon type like Dragonite. However it was found that all of Charizard's Dragon type moves were weaker in comparison to the same moves used by other Dragon type Pokemon. Furthermore it was also observed that unlike normal Dragon types Charizard was not affected by Dragon types moves the way Dragon types were upon being attacked by Dragon type moves. This strange phenomena confused the Pokemon Master researchers for several years." Dragon Emperor says before pausing for a moment.

"How did they solve it then?" Serena asks Dragon Emperor with inquisitiveness.

"The solution came in form of an accident. One day new reached the Pokemon Masters about a Charizard which had managed to match a Dragon Pulse attack of a Haxorus with his own. The moment this happened the Pokemon Master researchers examined both the Charizard and Haxorus. That is when they made an interesting observation. The observation was this that only Charizard's Dragon Pulse could match up to Haxorus' Dragon Pulse the remaining Dragon type moves were still inferior to Haxorus' Dragon Type moves. This lead to the conclusion that there must be mechanism that individually controls the strength of each individual Dragon Type move. A few years later the assertion gene was discovered."

"What is the assertion gene?" Ash asked.

"You see in Charizard's case it was originally a Fire, Dragon and Flying type. However over the course of years of evolution the Charizard species lost the use of it's Dragon Type features due to climate changes, lack of need and other factors etc. However because evolution is a slow and gradual process the Charizard's DNA Genome sequence did not get rid of the Dragon Type DNA in it's Class DNA. Instead it introduced what we call assertion gene. The assertion gene acts as a setting indicating the status of the DNA of a type in the class DNA of the Pokemon. It has 2 settings namely the dominant and recessive setting. Therefore while the entire world knows Charizard as a fire and flying type for Pokemon masters it is a dominant fire and flying and recessive dragon type Pokemon."

"So that is why my Charizard can use so many Dragon Type moves! That's incredible?!" Ash exclaims.

"Not just that Ash it also explains Charizard's Dragon like Pokemon appearance. You see it is the recessive Dragon type DNA in the Class DNA that gives Charizard it's dragon like look. Also it also explains why Charizard is not so badly affected by Dragon Type moves. Since Charizard's Dragon Type DNA is mostly in a recessive state therefore it offers Charizard a greater protection against Dragon Type moves."

"That's incredible. So by having recessive DNA you can still use attacks of that type while not inheriting that type's weakness!" Serena exclaims.

"Yes that is true. However there is a trade off. While recessive status protects you from type advantage but being recessive type the attack power of that type's attacks are also reduced as well." Dragon Emperor replies before pausing.

"But going back to that observation between that Charizard and Haxorus. By you logic it's Dragon Pulse should have been weaker than Haxorus'. Then why could it match it?" Ash asks.

"An excellent question. The answer lies in the bond of that Charizard and the Trainer. You see the assertion gene acts like a status between Dominant and Recessive. For each attack of a type there is one unique strand of DNA with it's switch. The Trainer must have trained it's Charizard well and it's Charizard must have had a unique and a strong bond with it's trainer. This enabled them to reverse the setting for the Dragon Pulse attack strand in the Class DNA from recessive to dominant type. That is why only the Dragon Pulse could match up to Haxorus' Dragon Pulse and no other Dragon Type move could match up because the strands for these attacks still had the assertion gene in their recessive states." Dragon Emperor replies

"So it is possible to make the setting change. That's incredible!" Serena exclaims.

"Yes it is. But it is very difficult and requires a lot of effort and training. Not to mention an extraordinary bond between trainer and Pokemon" Dragon Emperor replies.

"What about my Braixen? Does it also have some recessive DNA type?" Serena questions Dragon Emperor.

"Indeed. Your Braixen is a Dominant Fire and Recessive Psychic type which upon evolving will change into a Delphox which will be Dominant Fire and Psychic type. Also Ash's Pikachu is Dominant Electric and Recessive Psychic type as well. Upon Evolving it will evolve into Raichu which will be a Dominant Electric type and Recessive Psychic type Raichu or a Dominant Psychic type Alolan Raichu depending under which conditions it evolves." Dragon Emperor replies.

"But my Pikachu has never used any Psychic attacks before." Ash replies.

"I know. Don't worry I will train you two to be able to use Psychic attacks as well." Dragon Emperor replies.

"OK. You hear that buddy. You will use Psychic type moves as well." Ash says while petting Pikachu.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu says while smiling and giving everyone a thumbs up.

"Alright now coming back to Pokemon DNA so far we have discussed Class DNA but I mentioned another type of DNA as well. What was that Serena?" Dragon Emperor asks Serena.

"U mm." Serena says while going through her notes before saying "Local DNA."

"Good. But next time you should remember. As the name suggests this DNA is local to the Pokemon in question. Tell me Ash is your Pikachu the same as other electric types or for that matter same as the other Pikachus?" Dragon Emperor asks Ash.

"No my Pikachu is unique." Ash replies.

"Exactly. Every Pokemon is unique. No 2 Pokemon are the same despite them belonging to the same species. The answer lies in the Local DNA. This DNA has further two types. The first type is known as common local DNA. This DNA controls the common features like appearance. It is the same across the same species but distinguishes one species from another. This DNA is the reason why 2 Pikachus since they are of the same species look alike and why a Pikachu and a Magnemite look different despite both being electric types. All things which are shared by the members of one species is genetically encoded into this portion of the DNA. The second portion is known as the different local DNA. This DNA is what separate one Pikachu from another Pikachu. This establishes the individuality of a Pokemon in the same species through characteristics like behavior and eating patterns etc. With me so far?" Dragon Emperor says.

"We might need to get a few things clarified later but so far so good." Serena and Ash reply.

"Alright. Now that is enough talk about Pokemon DNA what we are going to talk about next is Pokemon evolution. But that will be for the next lesson tomorrow. Summarize whatever I have taught you. Every detail. Have it corrected by me. Then if you have any doubts I shall clarify them."

"OK." Ash and Serena reply.

"Ash while Serena starts with the summary why don't you go fetch Clemont. The sun is falling so we should call it a day in a few hours. However remember tell him nothing of what was taught today." Dragon Emperor says while drinking some water.

"OK." Ash says before leaving.

 **(10 minutes later)**

"Good. Clemont you are here. Any progress yet?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"No not yet." Clemont says while falling down in exhaustion.

"It will take time. Alright Clemont. Listen I have a job for you which requires your skill. You are an inventor right. So you must be good at computer programming. Is that right?" Dragon Emperor asks Clemont.

"That's right. Why do you ask?" Clemont replies.

"There is some sensitive data on Serena's computer. I want it protected by some additional layers of security. Firstly I want all the data to be stored in an encrypted format. And then there are a few more security features which I would like you to implement. But before that I need to tell these 2 something." Dragon Emperor says while turning to face Ash and Serena. "It will be dinner time soon. While he is working. Go pluck berries, get water, the the utensils. The whole works alright. I want the camp in top shape and everything ready for when the time comes for Clemont to cook dinner."

"Right." Ash and Serena reply in a tired manner while turning around and walking away.

 **(2 hours Later)**

"Alright that's done." Clemont says while wiping the sweat of his forehead.

"Good. Well done. Now go cook dinner. I am sure Ash and Serena will have everything ready for you. When you see them send them to me." Dragon Emperor replies.

"OK." Clemont replies while walking away.

A few minutes later Ash and Serena come back.

"Alright everything is set. Serena here is your password and Ash here is your password." Dragon Emperor replies while handing them both a piece of paper.

"OK." Ash and Serena say before looking at it and then putting it into Serena's purse.

"Good. Let's go eat dinner." Dragon Emperor says while standing up and walking away. Ash and Serena follow suit.

 **(1 hour later)**

"Good. Now Ash and Serena before going to bed. We have your final lesson for the day. Clemont you may stay if you like or you may sleep. It is up to you." Dragon Emperor says.

"Enjoy yourselves." Clemont says while going inside his tent to sleep.

"It's our first day. Can you make an exception just this once please." Ash and Serena groan because they want to go to bed due to the exhaustion.

Dragon Emperor looks at them for a while. Then he says "Fine. Just this once. I don't want it becoming a regular habit though. You both are dismissed for the day." Dragon Emperor says while turning around and walking into his own tent and zipping it.

"Thank god." Ash and Serena mutter while getting into their own tent. They don't even bother changing into their clothes and simply doze of to sleep.


	31. The Art of Evasion

**(Next Morning)**

Ash, Serena, Clemont, Dragon Emperor and all the Pokemon are finishing their breakfast.

"Alright. Clemont now it is back to your Tauros for training. Time to get going." Dragon Emperor says while getting up.

"Right." Clemont says while recalling all of his Pokemon into their Poke-ball. "See you 2 at lunch." Clemont says while waving his hands and walking away to his spot.

"Alright. Now have your Pokemon run 20 laps around the edges of that clearing. You 2 will only run 5. Now go." Dragon Emperor says while pointing to the clearing.

"Right." Serena and Ash reply with tone of determination as they run off along with their Pokemon.

 **(30 Minute Later)**

"Well Ash I am quite impressed with your Snorlax. I thought it will take it at least 50 minutes to complete 20 laps. You have raised it quite well." Dragon Emperor says while Snorlax finishes his 20th lap while panting.

"OK the rest of you 30 normal push ups for the trainers and Snorlax. Everyone else do 50. Snorlax will begin after a 10 minute rest." Dragon Emperor says while Snorlax sits down on the ground with a thud.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

"Alright. Your warm up is now complete. 10 minute break. Then your Pokemon practical training lesson will start." Dragon Emperor says while opening a water bottle and offering it to Ash and Serena.

"Thanks." Serena says before drinking some water. She then gives the bottle to Ash and wipes her sweat. Ash does the same.

 **(15 minutes Later)**

"Alright today we shall practice one of the most important components of a Pokemon battling. That is the art of evasion." Dragon Emperor says as all the Pokemon are standing in a line behind Ash and Serena.

"You are going to teach us various techniques of dodging attacks." Ash asks.

"Yes and yes. Dodging is an extremely important part of Pokemon battles. If statistics are to be believed around 40% of the battle is spent in evading and avoiding attacks." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"Mastery of the art of dodging attacks is essential if you wish to become a Pokemon master. Always remember the key phrase DAFT. D stands for diversion, A stands for Agility, Acrobatics and Adaptability, F stands for Fast and T stands for Terrain. Now I shall demonstrate one by one what do each of these letters mean. Alright come out Raichu, Meganium, Steelix, Sylveon, Dusclops and Dragonite." Dragon Emperor says while tossing 6 Poke-balls.

"Alright for the first letter D. D stands for diversion. Diversion means that you use another medium as a shield or a technique with which you can hide yourself. The most common method is this. Steelix use Flash Cannon. Raichu double team to dodge." Dragon Emperor commands. "Even you two must have seen or used this method. Here we are using a double team to create multiple fake copies as a distraction to avoid the attack." Dragon Emperor replies as Ash and Serena nod.

"Another less common way is to use a similar attack known as substitute. Watch closely. Raichu use thunderbolt on Dragonite. Dragonite you know what to do." Dragon Emperor says as Raichu thunderbolt hits Dragonite. Dragonite winces in pain for a moment. But then disappears only to appear behind Raichu.

"In this technique a Pokemon sacrifices a little bit of health to create a decoy copy which can even be seen taking damage by the opponent for a short time. If used properly Substitute can be a great move to deal critical blows to an opponent who may let down his guard after thinking your Pokemon took a lot of damage and leave a big opening for you to capitalize on."

"I have never used Substitute myself before but I have seen it being done." Ash replies looking impressed.

"Of course today I shall teach you both all the techniques I know." Dragon Emperor says while smiling.

"Now the next letter is A. A stands for the triplet Agility, Acrobatics and Adaptability. Agility and Adaptability are for Pokemon like Snorlax who are so big that they can't rely on high speed and small size to evade attacks. These type of Pokemon must use acrobatics along with a great deal of agility if they wish to avoid attacks. Here take a look." Dragon Emperor says while tossing a Poke-ball revealing Hariyama.

"Sylveon shadow ball rapid fire barrage attack. Hariyama dodge it." Dragon Emperor commands.

Sylveon sends a barrage of shadow balls but Hariyama dodges them all by performing Acrobatics by staying on his feet or on his large palms.

"Wow." Serena says as it reminds her of her performing on the stage.

"I thought you will be the one to react. After all being a performer you Pokemon will be good at doing acrobatics." Dragon Emperor says while chuckling to himself.

"Now moving on we come to adaptability. This is a tricky part. For it partially depends upon luck and the trainer's aptitude as a battler in order to pull this off. Here I will show you 3 examples. Alright Dragonite use flame thrower on Meganium. Meganium use Vine-Whip to knock Dragonite off balance." Dragon Emperor commands.

Dragonite release a flamethrower but Meganium's vine-whip knocks it of balance causing Dragonite to trip and it's flamethrower to miss its mark.

"I remember doing something similar with my Gliscor in my Sinnoh gym battle with a gm leader called Byron and his Bastiodon." Ash says while turning and looking at Gliscor.

"You might have. I don't hold a copyright over this technique. Who knows? Someday a trainer might come up with a technique not known even to me. But enough of that there is another way Vine-whip can be used to dodge attacks."

"Let me guess. Use it on the ground to propel yourself into the air." Ash replies.

"Very good. Where did you use this technique?" Dragon Emperor questions Ash sounding impressed.

"In my battle in the Johto league against a battler name Gary Oak. In fact it was my Bayleef who used this technique. He is now a professor in training." Ash replies.

"Alright then the next one will be a useful one for you Serena." Dragon Emperor says while turning.

"Steelix use Iron Tail and send some rocks flying towards Sylveon. Now Serena watch closely. Sylveon you know what to do." Dragon Emperor says as Sylveon nods. The rocks are flying towards Sylveon but Sylveon doesn't move a muscle. Just seconds before they are going to hit it uses it's feelers to swat down all the rocks without even breaking a sweat.

"Wow!" Serena exclaims upon seeing Sylveon being able to use it's feelers like that.

"One thing to note about adaptability techniques. These can in a way be a categorized in 2 types. First where you use special features of your Pokemon like Sylveon used its feelers. Second you can even use attacks that your Pokemon can use like Meganium's vine-whip or water type using hydro pump on the ground to lift itself off the ground etc. The possibilities are endless."

"Right." Ash and Serena say while making a mental note of it.

"Alright the next letter is F which stands for fast. The principle is simple. The emphasis on dodging is on speed. Using moves like Quick Attack and Extreme Speed to avoid the attacks. But the last letter is T which stands for Terrain. In other words the battlefield. This is the one element I want you two to be extra careful about."

"Why?" both reply in unison.

"Because this is the one element which trainer forget about in a battle. They forget that in a battle it is not just the 2 Pokemon who take part here is another element involved and that is the battlefield." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"The power of the battlefield is not one to be under estimated. For example in an air battle a sudden gust of wind can mean the difference between defeat and victory. Or in a rocky battlefield an unaccounted boulder may act as a safeguard from a devastating hyper beam."

Both Ash and Serena listen with utmost seriousness.

"Here I will show you. Dragonite use Flamethrower. Hariyama you know what to do." Dragon Emperor commands.

Seconds before the flamethrower is about to hit Hariyama uses Arm Thrust on the ground causing a large portion of rock to come out in between the Flamethrower and Hariyama protecting it. Ash and Serena are left with their jaw dropped as they see the flamethrower diverted to either side of the protruding rock barrier.

"Unbelievable." Ash and Serena say in unison.

Dragon Emperor smiles before chuckling. The he says "Alright time to train you two. Get ready."

 **(2 hours later)**

"Alright now most of your Pokemon are wiped out. So put them inside their Poke-balls. Now Pikachu and your Braixen are the only 2 left. Since this is the last lesson before the lunch break I thought we will make it more interesting by giving you 2 a little Z move surprise." Dragon Emperor says.

Ash and Serena who have tired faces instantly light up upon hearing Z move being mentioned.

"Will we get to see one?" Ash asks with enthusiasm.

"Even better. You both will get to face one. Hariyama stand by." Dragon Emperor says before rolling up his sleeve to reveal a ring with a crystal on it.

"What is that?" Serena asks."

"That my dear Serena is a Z ring. Without the ring and the correct crystal corresponding to the Pokemon type performing a Z move is impossible. Now get Pikachu and Braixen ready." Dragon Emperor replies.

Both Ash and Serena nod and take their positions with their loyal Pokemon in front of them.

"Alright Ash you will go first. Remember play to your Pokemon's strength then choose from DAFT. Cause here I come." Dragon Emperor says while striking a pose.

'Pikachu's strength is speed so I am going with F.' Ash thinks to himself while making a determined fist.

After striking a few more poses a light emanates from the Dragon Emperor which then goes into Hariyama.

"Alright Ash get ready. Here we go. All Out-Pummeling go." Dragon Emperor commands.

Upon hearing it's trainers commands Hariyama sends out a wave of attacks with great speed and power towards Pikachu. Serena is meanwhile stunned at this display.

"Dodge with quick attack." Ash shouts.

Pikachu waltzes through the powerful barrage of attacks. After dodging the first 10 or so it gets hit and then all the rest of the attacks meet its mark creating a huge blinding explosion. After the smoke has subsided Pikachu is on the ground with swirly eyes while Ash is visibly shaken at the level of power that Z move possessed. Then he recomposes himself and goes and picks Pikachu up in his arms.

"You did very well Ash. Dodging more than 10 attacks on your first try is commendable." Dragon Emperor says while tossing an Oran berry to Ash.

"Thanks but Pikachu got injured quite badly. I don't think an Oran berry will cut it." Ash replies in a worried tone while feeding Pikachu the berry.

"Don't worry." Dragon Emperor says before turning to Serena and saying "Your turn."

"U mm. I don't think I want to." Serena says with a little hesitation in her voice.

"Why?" Ash asks.

"Because she is intimidated by the level of power displayed." Dragon Emperor answering for her.

He smiles then walks over to Serena and puts his hand on her shoulder which is giving a slight tremor.

"Why are you so afraid?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"I d-don't k-n-know. It's overwhelming." Serena replies while stuttering a little.

"It is. No doubt. But when you finish your training this will actually be a trivial thing for you." Dragon Emperor says in a reassuring tone.

"It's just that I don't think I am ready for this kind of power." Serena says quietly.

"No one ever is." Dragon Emperor replies.

"It is just for some reason I am afraid." Serena replies.

"I know. I felt the same way when I was training as well. But that is what it means to be a Pokemon Master. To wield great power with even greater responsibility." Dragon Emperor replies.

"If you were in my shoes how did you overcome your problems ?" Serena asks him.

"Faith. In a better brighter future and in my mater's guidance. Always remember Serena no matter what happens never lose your self confidence. For that is yours and yours alone. No one. Not even I can take that away for you. If in doubt close your eyes and remember your loved ones for strength. Now get ready." Dragon Emperor says while walking back towards Hariyama.

Serena closes her eyes. Images of her mom, her Pokemon and finally Ash flash in her mind. Strength returns to her hands and the trembling stops. She opens her eyes with a fire of determination blazing in them. Upon seeing that Dragon Emperor chuckles and Ash gives her a thumbs up.

"You ready?" Dragon Emperor says.

Serena gives a firm nod while standing behind her trusted Braixen.

"Alright. Now remember what I told Ash. Play to your Pokemon's strength and remember DAFT. Let's do this Hariyama." Dragon Emperor replies while striking the earlier pose.

Serena's mind is running a marathon. 'What do I do? Braixen doesn't have Pikachu's speed. So F is out. Don't have time to survey the field so T is out. I am running out of option.' she thinks to herself when suddenly she remembers Dragon Emperor having Hariyama do acrobatics.

"All Out-Pummeling go." Dragon Emperor commands jerking Serena out of her thoughts.

"Quick Braixen think like it's a performance. Use your acrobatics to avoid those attacks." Serena counters.

Initially Braixen does well but her jumps can't keep up with the pace of the incoming attacks and soon like Pikachu she is down on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Well done as expected. Here." Dragon Emperor says while tossing an Oran berry to Serena.

"Now listen up you two. All your Pokemon are wounded and tired. The Pokemon center is over the mountains on the other side. Ash you take your Poke-ball and Pokemon and go on Aerodactyl." Dragon Emperor says while tossing a Poke-ball. "And you Serena go on Dragonite. Deposit your Pokemon. Pick up some Pokemon food and supplies before coming back. Then return back for lunch the same way you went. We will have our theoretical lesson in the afternoon. Then in the go back in the night and bring them back before dinner time. Now go."

"What are you going to do?" Both ask as they climb onto the backs of their respective Pokemon.

"I will go and check on Clemont's progress. Then the two of us will get started with dinner. Don't take long." Dragon Emperor says while turning around and walking away.

"Right." Ash and Serena says after climbing on to Aerodactyl and Dragonite respectively and take off.

Dragon Emperor looks at them flying away. He smiles to himself then turns around and walks away.


	32. The Path of Evolution

**(2 Hours Later)**

"Now let us get started with the practical lesson for today. Pokemon Evolution." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right." Ash and Serena reply.

"Alright. Let us start by one of you telling me the definition of evolution." Dragon Emperor says.

"Evolution is a natural phenomena where several characteristics change in living biological populations via inheritance of heritable characteristics over successive generations." Ash replies as he remembers the definition from the textbook he studied for his KIP exam.

"That is a correct definition in it's essence but it is incomplete as well. But moving on. Serena tell me the difference between Pokemon evolution and evolution of other life forms." Dragon Emperor asks Serena.

"Well Pokemon evolution has well defined stages within the lifetime of the Pokemon. For example a Fennekin evolves into Braixen then into Delphox. The pattern of stages is fixed depending on the type and species of the Pokemon. Other organisms don't change their forms within their lifetime." Serena replies.

"Good. You both are quite correct. But now it is time to study from a Pokemon Master's perspective. Are you ready?" Dragon Emperor asks them both.

Both Ash and Serena nod.

"Alright now tell me do you remember the 2 types of DNA a Pokemon has?" Dragon Emperor questions them both.

"Yup. Class DNA for the Pokemon type and Local DNA for the Pokemon's species and individuality." Ash replies quickly.

"Very good. Due to the distinct nature of the 2 types based on that Pokemon Evolution also has 2 types. First type is known as the Passive Evolution. This evolution happens in all living organisms be it Pokemon or humans or other animals. This evolution takes place very slowly. occurring gradually over the course of thousands of years. The reason why it is called Passive is because you can't observe it with your own eyes due to it's slow characteristic changing nature. An example of this is Charizard. Like I told you Charizard used to be a Fire, Flying and Dragon type Pokemon but over the course of thousands of years it's Dragon type DNA became recessive. This is a perfect example of passive evolution."

Serena raises her hands and asks "If it can't be seen by the observation how is it's existence confirmed?"

"A good question. There are several evidences. First fossil records. The fossil of old Pokemon help us in studying evolution. Then there are the similar characteristics that related species share, vestigial organs etc. Don't worry as your level as a trainer grows I shall teach you all these things." Dragon Emperor replies before pausing.

"As I was saying. Passive evolution is very slow. It has been studied and found out that Passive Evolution affects both Local and Class DNA but it's affect of Class DNA is more profound than that on Local DNA. Second type of evolution is Active Evolution. It is the normal Pokemon evolution you are used to. The one which Serena described just now. The reason why it is called Active Evolution is because it happens very fast in comparison to normal evolution which takes place over thousands of years. Now tell me what do you think causes a Pokemon to undergo Active Evolution?" Dragon Emperor asks the 2 of them.

"Well there are several reasons according to what we have studied. Firstly some times they evolve due to reaching an experience level or sometimes by using an evolution stone or an object like a Razor Fang." Ash replies.

"Indeed but how does the experience your Pokemon gains translates into Evolution? How much experience is enough to evolve?" Dragon Emperor counter questions.

"I don't know." Serena replies.

"Same for me." Ash replies as well.

"Take a guess. Any one guess." Dragon Emperor replies.

Both Ash and Serena think for a while. After a while they both shake their heads in defeat.

"Well the mechanism which enables Pokemon to evolve after gaining experience is still unknown even among Pokemon Masters. Several models and theories have been put forth but none of them is perfect. However we do know how does the Pokemon's experience translates into the level at which your Pokemon currently is." Dragon Emperor replies.

"How?" Ash and Serena ask in unison.

"The answer is Aura." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Aura?" Serena says in surprise as it is the first time she is hearing this term.

"I don't know much but my friend Brock told me that it is a form of spiritual energy which resides in all living things in the known universe." Ash explains to Serena.

"Yes you are right. But it is so much more than that." Dragon Emperor replies before smiling.

"Tell us." Serena says with an inquisitive tone.

"After years of study and observation it was found that whenever a Pokemon gains experience it increases the level of Aura associated with that Pokemon. The Local DNA of the Pokemon is closely linked with the Aura level associated with the Pokemon. Whenever the Aura level crosses a certain threshold value it triggers a mutation of the Common Local DNA segment of the Pokemon. This mutation is what changes a Pichu into a Pikachu, a Fennekin into Braixen and a Ghastly into a Haunter." Dragon Emperor says before taking a pause.

"Wow. I didn't know that Pokemon had such a complex mechanism for evolution!" Ash says with eyes twinkling in excitement.

"Of course. You are training as my apprentices. Did you expect anything less." Dragon Emperor replies with a chuckle.

"But what about a Pokemon egg. How does it change it's form. I am confused. There is no way for it to gain experience." Ash asks.

"We will come to Pokemon eggs a little later when I tell you about how evolution and reproduction are linked. Now coming back to where we were. The mutation triggered by crossing of the aura threshold level. But there are several questions which arise. Such as how does the mutation of the complicated Common Local DNA change into it's next form without incurring an error? How does a Charmander's DNA know to change into Charmeleon's DNA and not a Charizard's DNA? etc."

"Yup all those are valid questions." Serena remarks.

"The answer lies in the Different Local DNA. This segment of DNA is not only responsible for controlling a Pokemon's individuality but also stores all the information regarding the Active evolution. There is a gene called Evolution Regulatory gene which is located in the Different Local DNA and an Aura Threshold Gene which is located in the Common Local DNA segment. Evolutionary Regulatory gene is responsible for translating the level of the experience the Pokemon has gained and transmitting this information to Aura Threshold gene. It also tells how the mutation of the Common Local DNA will take place. The Aura threshold keeps track of the level of Aura the Pokemon has. After crossing the Threshold it sends a signal to the Evolutionary Regulatory gene to transmit the information of the way in which the Common Local DNA is supposed to undergo mutation for the evolution to take place."

"I am extremely confused." Ash says with a blank expression.

"Me too." Serena replies.

"Alright. Let us understand it via an example. Take Fennekin. Whenever Fennekin gains experience by either learning a new move or by deepening the bond with it's trainer or any other way that increase in experience is noted by the Evolutionary Regulatory Gene. With me till here?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Yup." Ash and Serena reply.

"Alright now whenever there is an increase the Evolutionary Regulatory Gene will send the new updated increased Aura value to the Aura Threshold gene. Once it gets the new value it will first update the current value it is holding and will check whether the new value is greater or equal to the threshold level or not. With me so far?"

Both Ash and Serena nod.

"In the case the new value is less than the threshold value. Then nothing happens. But if it is greater than the threshold value then it sends a signal back to the Evolutionary Regulatory Gene telling it that the time for evolution has come. When this happens. The Evolutionary Regulatory gene sends the way in which the current stage's Common Local DNA needs to change to the next form. This is why a Fennekin always changes into a Braixen and not a Delphox. With me still?"

"Yup." Ash replies.

"Good. Now when this happens the mutation occurs because the increased Aura energy level transforms it into the next stage. The entire Pokemon's body s flooded with the Aura Energy causing it get seen from outside by a blinding flashing white light while the evolution takes place. After the evolution takes place the Evolutionary Regulatory gene updates itself with information of how to mutate the DNA for the next evolution when the time comes." Dragon Emperor says before drinking some water.

"Alright. Before we take the lesson further both of you tell me what I have discussed so far. you have 10 minutes go." Dragon Emperor says.

 **(15 minutes Later)**

"Excellent job. You are both very bright to pick up such an advanced concept so quickly. Now let us discuss another interesting scenario. Which is what happens when evolution stones are used?"

Both Ash and Serena nod indicating that they are ready to go on.

"When an Evolution stone comes into contact with a Pokemon. The energy emitted first comes into contact with the Class DNA of the Pokemon. Tell me why do you think it does that?" Dragon Emperor asks Serena.

"I don't know." Serena replies.

"It does so for verification purposes. Remember a fire stone only works on fire type. It does not work on water types. If it does that would be an anomaly condition. When the energy emitted from the evolution stone of the correct stone comes in contact with the Class DNA of the correct type it gets transformed into a mixture of the signal which is sent from Aura Threshold gene to the Evolutionary Regulatory gene and Aura Energy. Then " Dragon Emperor says before being cutoff by Serena.

"the signal reaches the Evolutionary Regulatory gene which sends the mutation information to Aura Threshold gene. The Aura Energy produced along with the signal compensates for the lack of Aura energy levels in the Pokemon originally before the evolutionary stone was used thereby triggering the evolution." Serena says completing the Dragon Emperor's statement.

"Excellent. I now see that the 2 of you are now starting to evolve as well. You will go far." Dragon Emperor says while giving them both a smile.

Ash and Serena both beam at being complimented and give each other a high five.

"But you told us that the mechanism is not known among Pokemon masters. But here you just described it in detail. I don't understand." Serena says

"What I have told you is just a skeleton. The details are still unknown. We still don't know how the experience level is translated into Aura level by the Evolution Regulatory gene? How does the Aura Level trigger and cause the mutation? How does the information regarding the next level of mutation get updated into the Evolutionary Regulatory Gene after evolution takes place. In other words when Fennekin evolve in Braixen from where does the Evolutionary Regulatory Gene get and store the mutation information for next evolution into Delphox? etc." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"Alright." Serena says while in a way wishing she hadn't asked the question in the first place.

"Now all this is fine when the Pokemon can evolve. But when a Pokemon has reached it's final evolutionary stage something very unique happens. In this case the Evolutionary Regulatory gene gets transformed into a Mega Evolutionary Regulatory gene." Dragon Emperor replies.

"So this is why only Pokemon in their last evolutionary stages can Mega Evolve. Because only they have the Mega Evolutionary Regulatory gene!" Ash exclaims.

"Yes you are absolutely right. But the mechanism is quite complex and we will need at least 2 days to discuss it. That is meant for a later time." Dragon Emperor says.

Ash and Serena nod. Dragon Emperor opens his mouth to speak again when he suddenly closes it and starts looking around here and there in a restless manner. Ash and Serena both look at each other confused. They turn to see Dragon Emperor with his eyes closed and signs of restlessness on his face.

"What happened Dragon Emperor? Something wrong? Did we do something?" Ash asks in a concerned tone.

"No. No. Nothing like that. It's just that I feel a minor disturbance is all." Dragon Emperor replies while opening his eyes but his restless face still the same. He silently thinks for sometime while Ash and Serena give strange glances at each other.

'What's Happening?' Ash mouths to Serena without making a sound.

'I don't know.' she mouths back in equal silence.

Suddenly Dragon Emperor shouts "Of course. That's it." causing both Ash and Serena to jump in surprise for a second.

"What happened Dragon Emperor?" Ash and Serena ask in unison.

"Your eggs are going to hatch in a few moments. No wonder I was feeling a disturbance." Dragon Emperor says while relaxing his face.

Ash and Serena both still look at Dragon Emperor with a confused expression as they still have no clue what he is talking about. Dragon Emperor looks at them staring at him.

"Well don't just stand there and gape at me. Go to your eggs now. You need to keep them warm." Dragon Emperor says in a loud enough tone to snap them out of their daze.

"Right." Both of them say as they turn around and run towards their tent a little distance away.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

"Wow. These are just the best. Thanks Dragon Emperor." Ash and Serena says as both Alolan Vulpix and Rockruff are affectionately nuzzling with them both.

Dragon Emperor smiles. Then he says "Well I still had a lot to cover but since we have 2 new members to welcome to the family we shall call it a day after one last topic. Here put them in these Poke-balls." while handing Ash and Serena a Poke-ball each.

"OK." They reply as their Pokemon willingly go inside their Poke-balls.

"Alright. Now for the last topic of the day since we had 2 Pokemon born we will talk about the genetics of Pokemon reproduction."

Ash and Serena raise an eyebrow at the mention of reproduction but they quickly recover and indicate to Dragon Emperor to start.

"Pokemon Reproduction is just like Human Reproduction. The physical process is the same. What we will be talking about is how the DNA is involved and how the evolutionary inheritable characteristics are inherited. Alright tell me what do you know about human reproduction?" Dragon Emperor asks Serena.

"U mm. Well we have 2 partners. One male one female. The male deposits the sperm into the vagi... "Serena says before being stopped by Dragon Emperor.

"I didn't ask for physical dynamics. I am well aware you 2 are thorough on the process and the machinery involved at a personally experienced level. What I need is the dynamics of the DNA that is passed from male and female to child." Dragon Emperor says causing both Ash and Serena to flush red.

Ash is the first one to recover. He says "Well. I don't know the complete details but the mother and father each give one half of their DNA which is then combined into the genetic makeup for the child."

"Correct. As you know in humans the sex of the child is determined by the sex chromosome of the father. However in Pokemon when it comes to the sex there are certain exceptions. Firstly in Pokemon it is the sex chromosome which is located in the Different Local DNA of the Pokemon which determines the sex. The concept for sex determination in the offspring of the Pokemon is the same as in humans. I will leave that research part for you to do. But now the exception comes when the evolution is sex determined. A good example of this is the evolution of the Pokemon Burmy. Burmy's evolution is determined not only by it's location of evolution but also it's gender. Female Burmy will always evolve into Wormadon whose abilities can differ based on the location. Male only evolves into Mothim. Another interesting thing to observe is that Wormadon is always a Dominant bug type. But it's other Dominant trait and its special ability is determined by it's location of evolving." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"Right." Ash and Serena say in unison.

"Good. Now this is the end of today's lesson. There are several things to study in it. For example I was surprised that none of you asked me about Eevee's evolution pattern. But anyway you will learn all that later. I must say I am very pleased with your performance in my test." Dragon Emperor says.

"What test?" Ash and Serena ask in unison.

"Do you remember yesterday I taught you 3 lesson when you tried and failed to shred the leaf with your punch?" Dragon Emperor asks the duo.

"We do. Why?" The reply.

"The reason why I took your theoretical class on Pokemon Evolution was to test whether you had actually imbibed the 3 lessons. I on purpose taught you a complicated and a relatively useless theoretical lesson with regards to Pokemon battling to see whether you had the will, perseverance,and determination to assimilate it. To my delight you both did very well. As a reward from tomorrow we shall shift to a theoretical battle strategy lesson. We shall cover everything related to Pokemon training in the theoretical lessons as far as possible. In due course I shall also introduce Mega Evolution and Z-Moves into your battling styles." Dragon Emperor says with a broad smile.

"Thank you. We only did so well because we had a good teacher." Ash and Serena reply with bowed heads.

"Humble and flattering at the same time. You two are quite the pair aren't you." Dragon Emperor says with a chuckle while tossing 2 Poke-balls releasing Aerodactyl and Dragonite.

"Go get your Pokemon back. I will go fetch Clemont and then we shall call it a day. Now be back as soon as possible." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right. See you soon." Ash and Serena say as their Pokemon take flight.


	33. Dealing with Rock Types

**(Next Morning after the Warm up is Complete)**

"The first gym you will be challenging is the Cyllage city gym. Tell me who is the gym leader and what does he specialize in?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Well Grant is the Cyllage City gym leader. He specializes in Rock types." Serena replies.

"Rock types. Interesting. One of the most weak when it comes to defense but quite powerful when it comes to attack. So let us start with defense. Ash tell me What are rock types vulnerable to?" Dragon Emperor asks Ash.

"That's easy. They are weak against water, grass, steel, fighting and ground types." Ash replies.

"Good. Now that we are studying battle strategies the pattern of study will be different. Both Theory and Practical shall be studied together. In the night before dinner you will drop your tired Pokemon at the Pokemon center before going to bed and bring them back in the morning. Is that understood?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Yes." They both reply.

"Good. Now let us come to the first type with an advantage over rock type and that is water. Before we discuss that tell me what is water?" Dragon Emperor asks the duo.

"U mm. It is a colorless, tasteless and odorless liquid with a chemical formula of H2O." Serena says.

"Yes. But it is much more than that. Water is the element of flow. An element of life. Water teaches us acceptance. To master water Pokemon you must release your emotions and allow them to lead you to wherever they take you just like a stream of water finding it's own path." Dragon Emperor says.

"But how does that help us?" Ash replies.

"You will never be able to master a Pokemon of a particular type if you haven't mastered that type first. By mastering I mean understanding the essence of that Type's characteristics."

"But if we allow your emotions to take us wherever they lead how are we to take informed decisions in heat of battle?" Serena asks.

"A very good question. That is also why I am starting with water type first because it can be tricky. How to battle while releasing your emotions yet ensuring that your mind only takes strength from these emotions and uses them against your enemy in the battle and not drift with the flowing emotions is the key to mastering water type Pokemon." Dragon Emperor replies.

"But I don't have a water type Pokemon." Serena says looking crestfallen.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Ash says with a grin to the confusion of both Dragon Emperor and Serena.

"What do you mean?" Serena asks while Dragon Emperor is also eyeing Ash with a suspicious eye.

"U mm. Well you see the thing is that before we left for Cyllage city do you remember we had our big fight. Before I came back to our apartment I also thought of getting you a present as an apology. So I was racking my brains very hard when I ran into Lucy." Ash says.

"The Battle pike queen who is dating Brock?" Serena enquirers.

"Yup. One look at my face and she figured out something was wrong. When I told her everything and what I was doing she gave me the perfect idea for a present." Ash says.

"Which was?" Serena asks with a feeling of excitement.

"She told me that her Milotic ha given birth to a Feebas which she had raised into another Milotic. After Lucy came to Kalos she released the Milotic in a lake nearby. Since the lake was one route to KIP I stopped by and caught it before coming back. Well here you go." Ash says while taking out a Poke-ball and tossing it revealing a Milotic. Serena was speechless for a moment after seeing it.

"Ash it's beautiful. I love it." Serena says before tackling Ash into a hug which he reciprocates. Meanwhile Dragon Emperor is examining the Milotic.

"This is Milotic has been raised very well Serena. A fine Dominant Water and Recessive Dragon type Pokemon. You should keep it. It will be excellent for Performances and Contests too." Dragon Emperor says while petting the Milotic.

"How can you tell?" Serena says after separating from Ash and walking towards Milotic.

"A Milotic's quality is determined by the beauty of the color pattern of it's tail which is unique to it. This one is a female." Dragon Emperor replies as Serena places her hands on Milotic to stroke it.

"So Milotic tell me would you like to become one of my Pokemon?" Serena says while petting it with a sweet smile.

Milotic instantly wraps itself around Serena and starts to nuzzle with her to display her affection.

"Alright now that both of you have a water type let us begin." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right both Ash and Serena reply with a tone of seriousness.

 **(2 weeks later on a Morning)**

"Alright. Time to move to the next site of training. We go via Cyllage City. Pack up the camp." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right." Ash, Clemont and Serena reply as they start packing everything up. Ash and Serena have been training hard with special emphasis on water and fighting type Pokemon. Clemont now also at least manages to be on the back of his Tauros for a while instead of being sent flying immediately.

As they are packing suddenly Ash's holocaster starts to glow and ring.

"What is happening?" Dragon Emperor says.

Clemont inspects the holocaster then informs him that Champion Diantha is calling Ash.

"Alright. If she asks you about what you are doing tell her that you were training. Ash and Serena ere training with water and fighting type Pokemon while Clemont was doing some training as well. Remember not a mention of me or any of the details of the training or knowledge you have received. Also no mention of the Alolan Pokemon as well." Dragon Emperor says while waking away.

"But why this secrecy?" Clemont asks.

"The time is not right yet. Everything must happen at the appropriate moment. I am asking you to trust in my judgement. Call me when your conversation is over." Dragon Emperor says while walking out of sight.

Ash presses a button. A computer screen comes into focus with Diantha, Sycamore, Prof. Oak and Grace visible in it.

"Hello. Long time no see." Ash, Serena and Clemont says.

"Hi Ash. How are you? I hope you have been taking care of my Serena." Grace replies.

"He has mom. He even got me a Milotic." Serena says as she tosses a Poke-ball.

"Hmm. Looks well raised. You have done a good job." Oak and Sycamore say in unison with smiles.

"Thank you." Serena replies with a curt bow.

"So tell me Ash. How many badges have you earned? At least 3 would be my guess. But since you are you I wouldn't be surprised if you actually got 4." Diantha says.

"Actually. I haven't challenged any other gym since the Santalune Gym." Ash says in a nervous manner while scratching the back of his head.

"What? But why?" All 4 of them say in unison.

"Actually the 3 of us have been training in the wild till now." Serena says quickly.

"Training I understand but avoiding gyms is also not good. Gym leaders provide their challengers with a unique challenge which can't be obtained while training in the wilderness. I want you to start challenging gyms again. There are only 3 months left in the Kalos league. You still have 7 gyms to go. Or do I take it you are not interested in becoming one of the elite four." Diantha says in a serious tone.

"No no. Nothing like that. In fact we were actually on our way to the Cyllage city gym right now." Ash says quickly.

"Very well. But the next time I call you which will be in 2 weeks time I should see at least 2 more gym badges otherwise I will take the offer of being an elite four off the table and you will come back with Serena and rejoin your classes like all other students." Diantha says.

"Don't worry I shall." Ash replies with a determined smile.

"OK. Now we have to sign off. But before signing off I must inform you that your rival Paul is planning to challenge you for your position as KIP Champion. He will challenge you shortly. Right now he is training under Cynthia's tutelage. You will have to come back and defend your title on an informed date. Should you lose then the offer of the elite four goes as well. Bear that in mind."

"I will. Bye for now." Ash says while disconnecting the call.

"That was intense." Serena says while wiping the sweat of her forehead.

"You are right." Ash replies while doing the same.

"if you find such a trivial and insignificant thing intense then maybe you aren't cut out to be my students." Dragon Emperor says in a serious tone while walking towards them.

"No. No. We were just kidding." Ash and Serena quickly shout while waving their hands frantically.

"Right. Just get on with the packing. We leave for Cyllage city within 5 minutes." Dragon Emperor replies in a dismissive tone.

 **(10 minutes Later)**

"We are all set. Harry will be herein 2 minutes." Serena says.

"Good. Challenge the Cyllage city gym. You should win the badge. Then come to the outskirts of the city and take the route which goes to Shalour city. I will find you." Dragon Emperor says before walking away.

After he has left. Clemont speaks up "Guys. I am getting a little suspicious of Dragon Emperor. If he is so strong and knowledgeable why does he want to remain in the shadows. I for one don't feel comfortable hiding the truth from Diantha and the others."

"I know. We don't either. But you know what. I am still willing to take a chance on him." Serena replies.

"But why?" Clemont asks.

"I don't. But whenever I am around him I get this fatherly feeling from him. He lets us try our strength. At the same time also teaching us our limits and pushing us to move past our limits. Beside he should get the benefit of doubt." Ash replies to which Serena nods.

"i suppose so." Clemont says. In a few moments Serena's limousine comes in front of them.

"It's been too long Serena." Harry says as the 3 get in the car after putting all their luggage into the back of the car.

"I know. More than 2 weeks I guess. But don't worry I am alive and well as you can see. Still in one piece." Serena replies in a reassuring tone.

Harry gives a small laugh. Then he says "Where to?"

"Cyllage City Gym. ASAP." Serena replies.

"OK." Harry says as the car starts moving.

 **(4 hours later)**

"The match between the Cyllage City gym leader Grant and the KIP champion Ash Ketchum will now take place. The gym leader will have the use of 2 Pokemon while the challenger can use up to 3 Pokemon. Furthermore only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokemon in the middle of the battle. Now please bring out you first choices." referee says.

"You may be the KIP Champion but I won't hand the Cliff badge over to you without testing you first. Time for you to meet one of my most powerful and loyal Pokemon. Go Onix." Grant says while tossing a Poke-ball.

'Onix a dominant rock and recessive ground type Pokemon. Predictable. A rock type gym leader having an Onix.' Ash thinks to himself. Then he he tosses his Poke-ball as well revealing Froakie.

"You may have the first move Ash." Grant says

Ash at first does nothing. He surveys the battlefield first taking all of it's characteristics into account. Then he closes his eyes and reminisces all of his previous encounters with Onix of other people especially gym leaders like Roark and Brock.

'Better to start of with a long range short burst attack like Dragon Emperor told me.' Ash thinks to himself before saying "Water Pulse. Short burst."

"Counter with Flash Cannon." Grant says.

Both attacks neutralize each other.

'I see. He intends to use steel type moves to defend and counterattack. Since it's a rock type. He may use stealth rock or rock polish to increase it's speed. Best bet is to use Froakie's speed and small size to attack it's large body.' Ash thinks to himself while saying "Alright Froakie. Use double team then into bubble beam."

"Onix stop it with rock tomb." Grant counters.

Ash smirks upon hearing that command because he knows how to get past this move sine he trained with the Dragon Emperor's Steelix and Dragon Emperor showed him several ways to deal with this problem.

"Froakie use your quick attack while maintaining double team to climb through those rocks then follow up with bubble beam." Ash says calmly.

"But how?" Grant shouts as the bubble beam hits Onix causing it to wince in pain.

"Onix use Dig to get away then follow it up with iron tail on coming out." Grant says.

"Bad move." Ash says.

"Why?" Grant says.

"You will see. Froakie aim a continuous water pulse into the hole. Then finish it off with bubble beam." Ash says.

"Oh no." Grant shouts as he realizes what is going to happen.

 **(A few moments later)**

"Onix is unable to battle. Please bring out your next Pokemon." Referee says as Grant returns his Onix.

"I see you already had a counter set for every move I made. Well should have expected nothing less from the person who beat Seibold. But my next Pokemon is no pushover either. Go Tyrunt." Grant says while tossing his Poke-ball.

'A Tyrunt. A Dominant Rock and Dragon type. Need to be careful.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Froakie use water pulse short burst." Ash commands.

"Tyrunt use crunch. Followed by sunny day." Grant counters.

"I see. Using Sunny Day to reduce the power of my Water Type Attacks. Very clever. But don't think a little sun will stop my Froakie." Ash says.

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Now Tyrunt use Rock tomb." Grant commands.

"Use double team and quick attack to get in close then water pulse." Ash counters.

"Bad move. Tyrunt jump then Draco Meteor." Grant commands.

Ash watches in horror as Tyrunt jumps over all the copies of Froakie and releases a Draco Meteor which swats all of them. An explosion takes place as Froakie is slammed into the ground after being hit by Draco Meteor.

"Looks like that is that." Grant says while Ash is trying to get Froakie back on it's feet as hard as possible.

The referee is about to make the call when suddenly Froakie struggles to get to his feet.

"But how?" Grant asks with a shocked expression.

"You forgot Grant. This is my Froakie. Like me it is a fighter till the very end." Ash says.

"I see. Very well then. Let us keep going." Grant says moments before his eyes get shocked as he sees Froakie beginning to evolve.

"Wow." Ash, Clemont and Serena says in unison as they see Froakie evolve into Frogadier.

"I guess Froakie heard Ash's call which enabled it to evolve." Clemont says.

Serena on the other hand is cheering for Ash in the most ecstatic way as possible.

"Cool. Alright Frogadier use Cut." Ash commands.

"Use Crunch to intercept then shoot Frogadier out with Draco Meteor again." Grant says.

"Oh no." Ash shouts as he remembers what happened in his battle with Conway in the Sinnoh league.

A few moments later Referee says "Frogadier is unable to battle. Please bring out your next Pokemon." as Ash returns his newly evolved Frogadier.

"You battled great buddy. I got careless after your evolution. I attacked recklessly with Cut while forgetting that Tyrunt can use Crunch and Draco Meteor. It won't happen next time." Ash says to Frogadier while it's inside it's Poke-ball. Then he turns to face Grant.

'That Tyrunt can jump alright. It can use Crunch which make attacking from close range dangerous. His Rock tomb and Draco Meteor will take care of my double team. Since that thing is a Dragon Type as well I bet it can use another Dragon Type move as well. Most likely Dragon Tail. Any other Dragon Type move would have already been used. My best bet is to use a Pokemon with Steel type but I don't have any.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Ash we are waiting for you. Your next Pokemon?" Grant shouts.

Suddenly an idea comes into Ash's mind and he says "Pikachu let's go."

Pikachu jumps onto the battlefield ready for battle.

"Why an electric type. What is Ash thinking?" Clemont says.

"Well I think I have an idea. I get the feeling that Ash chose Pikachu for it's Iron Tail." Serena says before closing her eyes and thinking.

"I see. So that's why." Serena says as she open her eyes.

"What? Care to break out the mystery to me as well." Clemont says.

"You will see." Serena says while turning to the battlefield.

"Alright Pikachu use Quick Attack to circle Tyrunt." Ash commands.

"I don't know what you have planned but I won't it wait around for it to work. Tyrunt use Crunch." Grant counters.

'Just like I thought. Now to lure him into using Rock tomb.' Ash thinks to himself before saying "Now double team."

"Draco Meteor." Grant counters.

"Alright now use Iron tail to move from one meteor to another. Then come down with Iron Tail." Ash says.

"So that's what you meant Serena." Clemont says with an expression of shock as he sees Pikachu jumping from one Meteor to the next one.

"Counter with Dragon Tail." Grant says.

An explosion takes place revealing both fine but Tyrunt panting.

"Rock Tomb then Draco Meteor." Grant commands.

"Got you now. Pikachu deflect it with Iron Tail and aim it right into it's mouth." Ash says while smirking.

Grant stands dumbstruck as he sees his own move work against him.

"Now Tyrunt can't use Crunch and it can't use Draco Meteor either. That was a stroke of genius from Ash." Clemont shouts.

"Yes it was. It is similar to what the Dragon Emperor taught us. We were training. It was Froakie vs Steelix. Ash had Froakie throw frubles at Steelix's eye but Dragon Emperor cleverly deflected it with iron Tail causing Froakie to get stuck in it's own frubles." Serena says.

"Unbelievable." Clemont replies.

"Finish it. Give me your strongest thunderbolt. Aim for the rock in it's mouth." Ash commands.

An explosion takes place revealing a fainted Tyrunt.

"Tyrunt is unable to battle. Pikachu wins. Match goes to the challenger Ash Ketchum." Referee says.

"Well done Ash. Here you go. Proof of wining at the Cyllage city gym. The Cliff Badge." Grant says while handing Ash a badge.

"Thanks." Ash says before being tackled into a hug by Serena.

"That was excellent. Here is a reward for your efforts." Serena says as she kisses Ash on the lips.

"That was even better than getting the badge." Ash says after separating causing Serena to blush.

"Let's go. We shouldn't keep him waiting." Serena says. Both Ash and Clemont nod. Soon the 3 of them wave Grant goodbye and walk away.


	34. Pokemon Hunter

**(Outside the Cyllage City)**

"Alright. So tell me how did your gym battle go?" Dragon Emperor asks after he sees Ash, Serena and Clemont walking towards him.

"It went good." Ash says as he starts to explain how the match progressed.

"I see." Dragon Emperor says after a few minutes of patient silence.

"Your victory was to be expected but you got careless after your Froakie evolved and it cost you Frogadier. Just because you are training under a Pokemon master doesn't mean you underestimate a gym leader and let your guard down. But overall well done. Now time to head to Shalour City." Dragon Emperor says while turning around.

'So much for appreciation. Doesn't he care about winning gym badges at all?' Clemont wonders.

"Another gym already! Aren't we going to train any more?" Serena says with a surprised expression.

"The place we train next is very close to Shalour City. Furthermore I have business there as well. Now no more questions." Dragon Emperor says.

 **(2 hours later)**

"Dragon Emperor can't we take a break?" Clemont says while wiping off some sweat.

"No." Dragon Emperor says in a dismissive manner.

Suddenly they hear a huge bang.

"What was that?" Ash says in a rather loud voice.

"Quiet. Let's investigate quietly." Dragon Emperor mutters as the four of them move towards the source of the explosion.

A few minutes later they see a jeep with an Arcanine and Lucario unconscious and injured inside 2 cages. There is also a man who is fixing the engine of the jeep after it has collided with the trunk of a tree.

"A Pokemon Poacher." Dragon Emperor says.

"What do we do? Call Officer Jenny?" Serena asks.

"What do we do? You should feel ashamed asking such a question if you call yourself a Pokemon trainer. Go and get him. I want no excuses. I want him and any Pokemon he uses inside those cages instead of that Lucario and Arcanine ready for pickup when Officer Jenny shows up. Now get him." Dragon Emperor shouts in a commanding and booming voice.

"Right." the three of them reply as they go and confront the Pokemon Poacher.

"Stop right there. Release that Arcanine and Lucario What have those poor Pokemon done to you to deserve such treatment?" Ash shouts at the top of his voice.

"Huh. You kids should go home before your bedtime. Don't want your mommies to cry at your absence. Now do we." he replies in a dismissive manner while continuing his repairs.

"That's it. Charizard let's go." Ash shouts.

"Sylveon. You too." Serena says.

"Come on Luxray." Clemont shouts as well.

"Interesting a Charizard, Sylveon and Luxray. Should make a nice bonus. Come out Saviper, Houndoom and Swampert." Poacher replies with eyes twinkling with greed and cunning abundant in his facial expression.

"Charizard flamethrower." Ash commands.

"Sylveon Swift." Serena says.

"Luxray thunder shock." Clemont says.

"Saviper Poison sting, Houndoom flamethrower and Swampert water pulse." Poacher counters.

The result is a tie.

"Not bad. But play time is over kids. Houndoom Smog, Saviper Poison sting on the kids and Swampert Dynamic punch on that Charizard." Poacher replies with a sneer.

"If that's the way you want it fine. Charizard feel their presence and then Dragon Rage full power. Knock them all out. " Ash commands ,angry at the fact that the poacher tried to attack Serena.

A few moments later an explosion occurs revealing knocked out Swampert, Houndoom and Saviper.

"Return." Poacher replies in a infuriated grumbling tone while returning his Pokemon.

"So much for your profit. Now hand over those 2 Pokemon and turn yourself to us." Serena says.

"Looks like I will have to deal with these pesky brats myself starting with that loud mouth girl." Poacher replies while taking out a gun.

"That's it. No one lays a finger on my Serena. Charizard fire spin. Char broil that pathetic person." Ash roars at the top of his voice.

Soon an explosion takes place with a soot covered scorched poacher on the ground with swirly eyes.

Clemont and Serena are fine but Ash is still shaking anger at the poacher.

"Your anger gives you great power. But if you let it. It will destroy you. Now take a few deep breaths and calm down." Dragon Emperor replies while walking towards the trio.

"I am fine now but you will not always be there to enlighten me. How do I control it?" Ash asks after calming down.

"Ash it has been said in the ancient scriptures that anger, restlessness and pain are the 3 biggest problems in the centers of concentration of the brain. Take your anger. Use it like a weapon against your enemies while keeping your cool. Do it and you will be unstoppable. But that is a lesson for another time. Now get those poor Pokemon out of their cages. Put the poacher and his Pokemon inside. We shall take these 2 to the Pokemon center just up ahead after informing officer Jenny. Clemont will do that. Now hurry along." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right." The three reply in unison while running to the cages.

 **(2 and a half hours later)**

"Looks like those 2 will be just fine. While I am disgusted by what the Poachers do I must say that this poacher did a fine job." Dragon Emperor says while sitting down.

"You admire the poacher's job?" Clemont asks in a bewildered tone. Even Ash and Serena look surprised.

"Oh yes. Not the poaching part. That is despicable. But he has done a commendable job in selecting his targets. Both that Arcanine and Lucario are well raised. I have never seen 2 better than these." Dragon Emperor says.

"How so?" Ash asks.

"An Arcanine's level can be determined by the grace of the white fur it has around it's neck. This one's fur is exceptionally graceful and fluffy despite being a wild Arcanine. Similarly a Lucario's level is determined by the yellow coat of fur on it's chest." Dragon Emperor replies.

"I didn't know that!" Clemont says.

"There is so much you don't know." Dragon Emperor says with a chuckle while folding his hands, adorning a deep thinking serious expression and closing his eyes.

"I guess you got that break you wanted after all." Ash says while leaning against Serena and closing his eyes for a nap as well. Serena leans against Ash and does the same. Clemont goes to another empty bench and falls asleep there.

 **(3 hours later)**

Ash opens his eyes to find Dragon Emperor gone while Clemont and Serena are still asleep. Upon sensing movement Serena also wakes up. Then she gives Ash a lazy kiss on the cheeks before getting up. They both walk together only to find towards nurse joy's station only to find Lucario and Arcanine waiting for them. As soon as they see them both Arcanine jumps on Serena and starts to lick her cheek meanwhile Lucario tackles Ash into a hug. Though surprised at first Ash and Serena soon reciprocate the Pokemon's feelings.

"I think these 2 want to go with the 2 of you." Dragon Emperor says while walking towards the 4 of them.

"Is that so?" Ash and Serena ask the Pokemon with a smile on their faces. Both of them nods their heads with happiness moments before pressing a button on a free Poke-ball on Ash and Serena's belt to disappear into a red beam of light.

"Wow. We didn't even have to ask them!" Serena remarks with an ecstatic tone on the prospect of having an Arcanine.

"Of course. This is their way of repaying you 2. Remember you 2 were the one who carried these 2 on the way here. Beside this is a good thing. Now you each have a very powerful Pokemon who can use Extreme Speed. Very nice." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Awesome." Ash says.

"Good. Now go and wake him up. We shall hit the road after a quick bite." Dragon Emperor says.

"OK." Ash and Serena reply.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

Ash and Clemont are discussing something and are walking behind. Serena and Dragon Emperor are walking ahead.

"Alright. Spill the beans." Serena says suddenly.

"What beans?" Dragon Emperor replies.

"Ash may be a little dense when it comes to people but I am not. I have been noticing since the last week you have been growing a little bit more and more concerned and troubled. Tell us." Serena says.

Dragon Emperor gives a smile. He lets out a chuckle and says "You know. Sometimes I forget why I picked to train you alongside Ash despite you not having the same skill level that Ash had when I a made him the offer."

"Why?" Serena asks.

"Nothing. The time for that is not now. However you are right. Clemont is the one who has been on my mind."

"Why did he say something to you. If you want I can got talk to him."

"No. No. Nothing like that. I thought he would have progressed by now just like you two have but it is not happening and I know why." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Why?" Serena asks.

"Tell me Serena if I give you a lock and a key will the key open the lock?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Whether the key fits the lock or not. Whether they are compatible together or not."

"Exactly. That is the problem with me and Clemont. I don't have compatibility with him that is needed in the relationship of a teacher and a student. I will never be able reach through to him the way I can reach through to you and Ash. He is a good person. Feeling helpless to help him is what is making me concerned. But I think I have managed to come to a solution to this problem. That is why we are going to be training so near Shalour City." Dragon Emperor replies.

"What solution is that?" Serene asks her, eyes peaking with curiosity.

"Run along to your boyfriend now my dear. You shall see later." Dragon Emperor says with a more serous tone.

"OK." Serena says as she skips off to join Ash and Clemont's discussion.


	35. Shalour City

**(On top of a hill)**

"Alright Ash time for your next gym battle. There it is. Shalour city." Dragon Emperor says.

"Another gym battle already? What about training?" Ash asks.

"This will be your test. I want to see how far you can go on what you have been taught. Remember I did teach you about fighting types. Now go and challenge this gym. Moreover this time I will be watching your battle." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Y-Y-You." Ash stutters in a way a little terrified at the prospect of having his mentor watch his battle.

"Don't worry Ash. I will be there by your side." Serena says in a reassuring manner while placing her hand on his.

"Yeah. Me too." Clemont replies.

"See nothing to worry about. Now go. If anyone asks you about who I am tell them I was a traveler from Cyllage city who was on his way to Coumarine City via Shalour City. Just stopped by to watch a gym battle." Dragon Emperor replies.

"OK." the 3 of them reply in unison.

 **(Later in the gym)**

"The battle between Korrina the Shalour City gym leader and ash the challenger will now begin. This will be a 3 on 3 battle. Only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokemon. Now Battle Begin." Gurkinn says.

"I'll choose first. Machoke you are up." Korrina says while tossing a Poke-ball.

'Machoke is a fighting type. Fletchling, Charizard and Noctowl will be perfect. But I shouldn't use my powerhouse right away just in case. Plus even Noctowl's psychic type gives me another advantage which will be a waste if I throw it away. Best start off with Fletchling.' Ash thinks to himself while taking a Poke-ball in his hand.

"Fletchling I choose you." Ash says as he tosses a poke-ball.

 **(In the viewing area)**

"That's strange. He is starting off with Fletchling. I thought he would start with Charizard." Clemont says.

"Perhaps he wants to keep Charizard in his back pocket for her more powerful Pokemon?" Serena counters.

"Maybe but in a fighting type gym getting an early win to disrupt the gym leader's momentum is a good way to win the badge." Clemont replies.

"You are both right. But Ash is not taking any chances with the badge. His strategy is clear. He wants to use Fletchling to cause as much damage as possible. Then he will go with his Noctowl. Then finally Charizard." Dragon Emperor replies.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Machoke start things off with a bulk up. Then go in with a cross chop." Korrina says.

'Predictable.' Ah thinks to himself as he stays completely calm.

"Draw it in Fletchling then use Double team followed by Aerial Ace." Ash commands.

Soon Machoke is sent flying.

 **(in the viewing area)**

"Looks like this one will be a piece of cake." Serena says.

"You might be right. Using double team at the last second was a great move." Clemont remarks.

"If you think that then it proves you haven't learnt anything from me. That is one well trained Machoke. Do you think this is the first time she is facing a challenger who has used a Flying type?" Dragon Emperor says in a rather disappointed tone.

"OK." Serena replies in a rather beat down tone.

 **(In the Arena)**

"Time to finish this. Fletchling use Steel Wing." Ash commands.

"Machoke catch it. Then use high jump kick." Korrina says.

"Oh no." Ash shouts as Fletchling is sent flying.

'Close range attacks are dangerous alright. Let's try an long rang one.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Fletchling use Razor Wind." Ash commands.

"Machoke run and jump then brick break." Korrina shouts.

Machoke dodges the attack then delivers a powerful brick break.

 **(In the viewing area)**

"What power!" Clemont says with a shock.

"You see. Type advantage means nothing if your attacks don't connect." Dragon Emperor says.

"Oh. Ash." Serena says in a worried tone.

 **(In the Arena)**

Ash clenches his fist in frustration as Fletchling gets up to it's feet.

'If this keeps up then Fletchling will be toast. Need to find a hole in her strategy.' Ash thinks to himself.

"Alright let's wrap this up. Machoke high jump kick. Finish it." Korrina says.

'That's it.' Ash thinks to himself as he smirks.

"Draw it in Fletchling. Then dodge by using Aerial Ace followed by Peck into Razor wind." Ash commands.

 **(In the viewing area)**

Dragon Emperor smiles to himself. Both Clemont and Serena get surprised at the change in behavior.

"What happened?" Clemont says.

"Nothing. It is just he has realized the flaw in Korrina's strategy and that is going to cost her this round." Dragon Emperor replies.

"What is the flaw?" Serena asks.

"You see fighting type gym leaders spend a lot of time focusing their efforts to make the Fighting type moves of their Pokemon strong and coming up with strategies to counter types like Flying types which have a type advantage over their Pokemon. They even spar with their Pokemon if need be."

"Like the way her Machoke's jumping advantage literally cancels out any aerial advantage a flying type has over a fighting type?" Serena asks the Dragon Emperor.

Dragon Emperor nods before saying "This line of training is good but it has a critical flaw. The flaw is that it focuses too much on physical strength and brute force. This can cause the fighting type trainer to miss certain subtleties in the middle of battle. It is because of that habit she has recklessly ordered an high jump kick which will not only miss but cause damage to her Pokemon and leave it vulnerable for a second when it is wincing in pain from the damage."

"I see what you mean." Serena says in a happier tone.

 **(Back on the battlefield)  
**

"Machoke is unable to battle. Fletchling wins." Gurkinn announces.

"Mienfoo let's go." Korrina says while tossing her second Poke-ball.

"Fletchling start this with a peck." Ash commands.

"Mienfoo power up punch then into Focus Blast." Korrina counters.

 **(In the** **viewing place)**

"A foolish move by Ash. Fletchling has already taken too much damage. Instead of switching it and giving it a rest he is using it recklessly which will cost him Fletchling." Dragon Emperor replies calmly.

"Oh no." Serena replies.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Fletchling is unable to battle. Mienfoo wins." Gurkinn announces.

"Noctowl. I need your assistance." Ash says as he throws a Poke-ball.

"An Noctowl have never seen one before. Let's start this up with a Focus Blast." Korrina commands.

"Noctowl use Psychic and send it back." Ash commands.

"Dodge it then jump and use brick break." Korrina commands.

"That won't work this time. Stop it with Psychic then use Confuse Ray." Ash says with a smirk.

"Oh no." Korrina shouts.

 **(In the viewing place)**

"Wow. Since Psychic type are so effective against fighting types they are causing a lot of problems." Clemont remarks in an interested tone.

"Not only type advantage but Psychic type moves are super effective against trainers whose fight without taking into account proper calculations and estimations." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Go Ash." Serena cheers.

 **(In the battlefield)**

"Now tackle it Noctowl. Followed by Peck." Ash commands.

"Mienfoo use Ice punch." Korrina shouts desperately.

Mienfoo manages to land the attack on Noctowl while being confused.

Ash clenches his fist in frustration as Noctowl gets hit by that effective move and is sent flying.

'Noctowl is not out yet but is still damaged. That Mienfoo is still confused. Better keep Noctowl back just in case.' Ash thinks as he recalls Noctowl.

"Charizard finish it with Dragon Rage full power." Ash commands.

"Mienfoo try to dodge it." Korrina says to no avail as the Dragon Rage hits the confused Mienfoo square in the chest causing an explosion.

"Mienfoo is unable to battle." Gurkinn says.

"You can only get lucky so many times." Ash says as Korrina recalls her fainted Mienfoo.

"Maybe Ash but you still have to get past my most Powerful Pokemon. Go Lucario." Korrina says as she throws a Poke-ball.

"Charizard return. Noctowl let's go." Ash says.

"Noctowl use Confuse Ray." he says.

But Korrina already has a counter set.

"Lucario use Aura sphere on yourself." Korrina says as Lucario launches an Aura sphere into the air.

A few moments later there is an explosion revealing Lucario completely fine.

 **(In the viewing area)**

"Wait a minute I have seen that move somewhere before." Serena says.

"I know. In his match with Calem when Ash had Froakie use Water Pulse on itself to neutralize Dream Eater. Korrina saw that I remember. She used Ash's own strategy against him." Clemont cries.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"So how did you like that Ash. This time I took a leaf out of your book." Korrina replies.

"That was quite clever. I'll give you that. But that Badge is mine. Noctowl send out confuse ray throughout the entire room."Ash commands.

"Lucario use Aura sphere one more time." Korrina says.

"Got you now Korrina. Use Noctowl use tackle while maintaining confuse rays. If Lucario moves it will get confused alright, if not it will take damage from the tackle." Ash says while smirking.

"Lucario hold your ground." Korrina says as the Aura sphere comes down on top of him.

A while later Lucario is sent sliding back.

"Now. Noctowl Razor wind." Ash commands.

"Bone rush knock them all down then Aura Sphere." Korrina commands.

"Quick use Reflect." Ash shouts.

"Alright enough games time to bring my full power out. Now Lucario mega evolve." Korrina says while tapping her keystone.

 **(In the viewing area)**

"It's about time I would say." Dragon Emperor says.

"What do you mean? You knew that Lucario could mega evolve all this while!" Serena says in a loud tone.

"Of course. The Shalour City gym is famous for having a mega evolved Lucario for the gym leader." Dragon Emperor says.

"Then why didn't you warn him about that?" Clemont asks in equal bewilderment.

"This is his test. To see whether he is ready for the next step." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Which is?" Serena asks.

"Mega Evolution." Dragon Emperor says.

"But I thought you were not going to teach us Mega Evolution till we had mastered the basics." Serena asks him in a puzzled tone.

"Normally I wouldn't have but the circumstances are different. I need to train you both up as soon as possible. Things are now set in motion that can't be stopped. To avoid the inevitable is foolishness." Dragon Emperor replies.

"What are you taking about?" Serena says.

"Nothing. Ignore it. Just know for now that we will start with Mega Evolution soon. That is if Ash can pass this trial." Dragon Emperor says.

"What about me?" Serena asks.

"You will have your trial soon as well. Rest assured of that." Dragon Emperor says while turning his attention to the match where Mega Lucario has defeated Noctowl with ease and Ash is returning it.

 **(In the arena)**

"Noctowl return. You did very well. Now take a good rest." Ash says while returning Noctowl.

He then turns to face Mega Lucario.

'That thing is powerful alright. Though my Charizard has a huge advantage I need to have a strategy nonetheless. But what?" Ash thinks to himself. Suddenly his thoughts drift to his battle against Seibold which he won. From there it goes to Seibold's Blastoise. When suddenly an idea comes into Ash's head.

"Alright take to the sky Charizard." Ash says while tossing his final Poke-ball.

Charizard gives a loud roar and starts flying.

"Charizard Flamethrower." Ash says.

Lucario Dodge it then use Aura sphere." Korrina counters.

"Keep dodging anything she sends your way and keep using flamethrower." Ash cries.

For 10 minutes this exchange continues with neither Pokemon able to land a hit on the other.

"What's the deal. You can't win if you don't land a hit." Korrina says.

"Careful Korrina. You should worry about your Lucario's dodging. After all you can't dodge without a good footing. You never know when the ground beneath your feet may slip or in this case turn a little smouldery." Ash says in a sarcastic fashion.

"What are you" Korrina says when she realizes what is happening. The ground beneath Lucario is turning red hot and is smouldering with steam rising from it.

 **(In the viewing area)**

"Excellent strategy. I never would have thought of that in a million years." Clemont shouts in surprise.

"Nicely done indeed." Dragon Emperor says.

Serena on the other hand is just awestruck at Ash's strategy.

"That's incredible!" She shouts at the top of her voice.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Oh no. We need to do something. Quick ice punch on the Battlefield." Korrina shouts.

"Oh no you don't. Charizard fire spin. Don't let Lucario use Ice Punch." Ash counters.

Korrina clutches her fist in frustration as Lucario is forced to dodge the attack instead of the cooling the battlefield down.

"Quick move away and use Ice Punch."

"Oh no you don't. Charizard stay on top of it with those continuous attacks." Ash says.

Suddenly Lucario slips on the smouldering rocks and falls down on the battlefield. A second later it starts to yelp in pain from the burning sensation of the smouldering field.

"Now Charizard Overheat." Ash says seeing his chance.

The Overheat meets it's mark and Lucario is sent howling through the air into the wall. But it still manages to get up.

'Lucario is out of steam. Another couple of those attacks and it will be done for. Need to end this fast.' Korrina thinks to herself.

"Now Lucario use Metal Sound." Korrina says catching Ash by surprise. Charizard is sent flying as well.

"Lucario while Charizard is distracted use ice punches on the battlefield." Korrina says.

"Charizard get up and stop it with a fire spin." Ash shouts.

Charizard attacks but Lucario has already landed 5 ice punches on the battlefield before swiftly dodging.

"Bone Rush go." Korrina says.

"Meet it head on. Dragon Claw." Ash commands. An explosion takes place revealing a tie.

"Aura sphere."

"Fire Spin."

The clashes are still tied.

"Power up Punch Lucario." Korrina commands ash Lucario comes charging out of the smoke from the collision.

"Dragon Rage." Ash says as Charizard is sent flying by the attack.

"An attack while being sent flying?" Korrina shouts as an explosion takes place this time knocking Lucario out.

"Yup that's my signature style." Ash says as Charizard gets up and then lets out a victory roar.

"Lucario return. You did a good job." Korrina says while walking towards Ash.

"That was quite the battle. I would never have guessed that you would turn the battlefield itself into a weapon. No wonder you beat Seibold. Well here you go. The proof of winning at the Shalour gym. The rumble badge." Korrina says as she hands Ash a badge.

"Thanks. But I got this idea from my battle with Seibold's Blastoise and my knowledge from someone who recently taught me how to use the battlefield as a weapon." Ash replies.

"Seibold's Blastoise? I don't understand." Clemont says.

Ash explains how from Seibold's Blastoise his thoughts went to Gary's Blastoise and his battle with Gary in the Johto league where he used this tactic.

"Well that was quite the battle I am sure. But we must get going now." Dragon Emperor says while coming towards Ash.

"You can't leave yet. The Kalos Queen herself is here. I will not allow these 3 to leave without extending them some of the Shalour City Gym's hospitality first." Gurkinn says.

"You know what? That would be very nice indeed. Would you mind if I stayed as well?" Dragon Emperor replies much to the surprise of the 3.

"Of course not. Come this way we shall take you 4 to your rooms for the night. Then I shall give you all a tour of the gym myself." Gurkinn says while leading them away.

'Excellent.' the Dragon Emperor thinks to himself while walking.


	36. The Clemont Stops Here

**(Next Morning at Breakfast)**

"So Ash, Serena and Clemont what shall we do today before you head out for your journey tomorrow?" Korrina asks.

"I don't know we could do something. Hey, by the way where is Dr ,I mean the man who was here with us yesterday?" Ash asks while correcting himself.

"Oh. He left early morning to do some shopping." Korrina replies while drinking some water.

"That's an excellent idea. Why don't we go shopping?" Serena says.

Everyone nods. "Well that's settled. Hold on I'll just get my disguise and then we'll be off." Serena says while running of.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

"I must say Korrina you are a very good gym leader. You actually pushed Ash to the limit this time. This is something neither Grant or Viola were able to do." Clemont says while complimenting Korrina.

"I did. That means a lot coming from the Lumiose city gym leader." Korrina replies.

Ash and Serena are walking behind Clemont and Korrina.

Ash whispers to Serena "Hey it's been a while since we got any private intimate time together."

"What are you thinking Ashy?" Serena says with a smirk coming on her face.

"What I am saying is while these 2 are chatting we should give them the slip for some, you know alone time. Besides all our Pokemon are at the gym." Ash says while smirking as well.

"Well I did happen to see a decent inn on our way here." Serena says while smiling.

"You are just too good my sweet." Ash says while quickly taking her arm. They both quietly sneak off while giggling.

What they don't know is that the Dragon Emperor has been observing them all this while. He smiles to himself and says "The things people do for love."

Then he starts following Clemont and Korrina.

"Well I am the Lumiose City gym leader but I am also an inventor." Clemont says.

"Really wow. Can you show me any inventions." Korrina says.

"Here take a look. This is the Aipom arm. It is used for many things like picking up heavy objects, unlocking locks etc." Clemont says while demonstrating.

"Wow. It's so cool. What else can it do?" Korrina asks.

"Well it's most common use is to take care of my sister to avoid any embarrassing situations." Clemont says.

"What situations?" Korrina inquires.

"Well my younger sister Bonnie is very young and sweet. She is also very mischievous. She has this unfortunate habit of getting down on her knees and proposing to girls so that she can find me a wife. I only wish half of them were as pretty as you." Clemont replies in an embarrassed manner.

On hearing that Korrina turns a shade red.

'Did he just call me pretty?' she thinks to herself.

"Korrina what happened? Are you unwell or anything. You do seem to be turning a shade of red." Clemont asks with a concerned tone.

"No. No. It's nothing." she replies after shaking the feeling off.

"Interesting. This couldn't get any better. It seems my hunch about these turned out to be correct after all." Dragon Emperor says while chuckling at Clemont's denseness.

"OK. So what should we do then?" Clemont says.

"Well there is a rollerskating park just up ahead. If you want I could teach you how to roller skate." Korrina says.

"That sounds fun. What about you Ash and Serena?" Clemont says while turning around.

Both of them get shocked to see the 2 missing.

"Where did they go?" Clemont says.

"They could've got sidetracked or something. Don't worry we'll find them later." Korrina says.

"U mm. OK. I guess. But I should tell you now that I think of it. I am not very comfortable doing roller skating. Can we do something else?" Clemont says.

"Oh come on Clemont. Just this once for me. It's my favorite thing to do." Korrina says with puppy dog eyes.

Upon seeing that Clemont starts to gulp. He is experiencing something which he has never felt before. He is scared to roller skate but it's almost as if those eyes of hers have fixed his response for him already.

Meanwhile Dragon Emperor is barely able to contain his laughter at Clemont's reaction.

"OK. But you will have to teach me." Clemont says.

"Thanks Clemont. You are the best." Korrina says before hugging him.

Then she breaks the hug and runs of to get some roller skates for Clemont.

Clemont's face is flushed red with his hands and feet shaking uncontrollably. His head is feeling light and it's almost as if he is semi dizzy and semi conscious.

"What is happening?" Clemont says as he looks at his hands which are shaking uncontrollably.

"It's called having a crush genius." Dragon Emperor says causing Clemont to jump out of his skin.

"What?" Clemont shouts.

"My my. You must be the most dense boy on this planet. Did you really think she was unwell when she flushed red. You idiot she was blushing because you had said that she was a pretty girl when you were describing Bonnie's antics. Remember?" Dragon Emperor says.

Clemont's jaw drops as he realizes what had happened. He too turns a shade red.

"That was nothing. She is a beautiful girl. That's all. There is nothing between us." Clemont says.

"Nothing between us yet. You mean." Dragon Emperor says deciding to poke a little fun at him.

"Stop. She doesn't like me or anything." Clemont says in a rather loud tone.

"My my. You sure are turning angry at a thing like. You really do like her. Don't you." Dragon Emperor says after a giving a chuckle.

Clemont is still furiously blushing unable to say anything.

"If you think she doesn't like you. Just observe her reaction especially her cheeks which will be flushing red like a tomato. Now just stay quiet. Here she comes." Dragon Emperor says.

"No. I beg you don't do something embarrassing. My sister is enough." Clemont says.

"Relax I am helping you." Dragon Emperor says. "Hello Korrina. How are you on this pleasant morning."

"I am well thank you. Why is Clemont sweating like that?" Korrina says.

"It's nothing." Clemont quickly says.

"Come on Clemont you are no fun at all. Actually the reason why he is so nervous is because he just told me he liked you and was asking me on tips regarding asking you out." Dragon Emperor says.

Korrina is shocked at his words. Her arms and hands start shaking just like Clemont's a minute ago. Her face is flushing furiously like tomato.

Clemont has just been observing Korrina's reaction. He can't believe that what the Dragon Emperor just told him was true. Unable to take the intensity of the situation he falls on the ground with swirly eyes. On seeing that Korrina runs towards him, bends down to check up on him.

"Well. I will be leaving you lovebirds together. Don't be too late." Dragon Emperor says chuckling to himself and walking away.

"We are not lovebirds." Korrina shouts while trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Really. For someone who isn't related to you. You sure do care for him much more than expected. You didn't even realize it but arms have instinctively wrapped themselves around Clemont in a fierce protective manner." Dragon Emperor says while turning around.

Korrina looks at her arms and then blushes once again. Before she can say anything she gets cutoff by Dragon Emperor.

"Korrina. Take care of him. He may be a little dense but he does care for you. You will have to take the first step towards initiating the relationship but I promise you. You won't regret it. I can see that you 2 have a bright future together. He's a good kid. Take your time today. Enjoy the moment."

Korrina feels like snapping at him but then she takes a deep breath and replies "I will." with a tone of happiness.

Dragon Emperor smiles then turns around and walks away.

"That was easier than I thought. Now to get my 2 apprentices." Dragon Emperor says to himself.

 **(In an inn nearby)**

"That was incredible. I must say I have missed your cock." Serena says as Ash gets off her and tries to catch his breath.

"Good thing you brought that condom in your purse." Ash replies in the middle of gasps of air.

"Well we better get going. Clemont and Korrina will be looking for us." Serena says as she gets up and starts putting her clothes on.

"Yup you are right."Ash says while putting on his clothes.

After wearing their clothes they walk downstairs pay the bill and walk out to find Dragon Emperor waiting for them.

"I can see some people enjoyed themselves." Dragon Emperor says.

Both Ash and Serena blush while scratching the back of their head in a nervous fashion.

"Come with me. I need Serena and you to do something in the Shalour gym." Dragon Emperor says before walking away.

"What something?" Serena asks.

"I will tell you on the way." Dragon Emperor says while walking away.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"That really happened?" Ash and Serena shout in unison.

"Yes. It did." Dragon Emperor says as he finishes explaining what had happened between Clemont and Korrina.

"Wow Clemont and Korrina. I never would have thought." Serena says.

"I would have." Dragon Emperor says.

Suddenly Serena's eyes widen and she says "So that's why you were so eager to come to Shalour City so quickly. This was your solution for Clemont's problem."

"You are wrong." Dragon Emperor replies.

"I am?" Serena says sounding a little confused.

"This is just the means not the solution. The solution you are going to help me with while Ash packs his and your bags." Dragon Emperor replies.

"And Clemont's right." Ash says.

"No. This is where our paths diverge. Clemont will be staying here while you 2 continue on with me." Dragon Emperor says.

"Staying here! What do you mean." Both of them ask in unison.

Dragon Emperor then repeats his explanation of why Clemont's will never be able to progress the way these two are progressing. Ash and Serena silently listen.

"I see. But how will staying here help Clemont?" Ash asks.

"You leave that to me and Serena. Now go and pack your bags we must be gone before they come back." Dragon Emperor says.

"But." Ash starts to protest only to be shot down by a firm look from Dragon Emperor.

As Ash leaves Dragon Emperor turns to Serena and starts to explain what she has to do.

 **(2 hours later)**

Clemont and Korrina walk into the gym while holding hands. Upon hearing footsteps they separate their hands. Suddenly Gurkinn sees them and says "Ah. Clemont and Serena. I was wondering when you 2 will be back. Come in. There is hot soup ready in he dining hall."

"Thank you sir but where are Ash and Serena?" Clemont asks.

"Oh they left an hour ago along with the man who was travelling to Coumarine City. He said if you had any questions on how, what and why this letter would suffice." Gurkinn says while handing Clemont a letter.

"What does it say Clemont." Korrina asks.

"U mm. Korrina would you mind letting me read this alone. I am just as clueless as you." Clemont says.

"Of course. No problem. I will be in the dining hall." Korrina says. She then takes a quick look around. Upon seeing no one else preset she gives Clemont a quick kiss on his left cheek before going away to the dining hall.

Clemont smiles then he opens up the letter. He starts reading.

* * *

Dear Clemont,

You are probably wondering why did we leave you so suddenly. The answer is that the time has come to follow your own path. Do you remember the day we met. The next day you asked me why I didn't allow you to become my apprentice. Well the answer was that you did not possess the strength needed to withstand the training.

Well that answer was not a complete one. You see just like a mega stone and a keystone to work a student and teacher need to have a compatibility as well. You and I unfortunate as it may be did not have the required compatibility. I think this even you knew deep down as you must have noticed the progress that you made while learning how to ride Tauros was very little compared to what Ash and Serena achieved. This is because I could not reach through to you the way I could reach through to those 2.

When that happened I started to think of ways in which I could get you the help you needed. The answer struck me when I thought of Shalour City Gym. You see Clemont what you lack is a fiery spirit, a passion for Pokemon battling which needs to be set ablaze should you want to become a better gym leader. You may be able to make the perfect battle strategy but remember in a battle you an go only so far with the perfect score. The environment of the Shalour City gym is exactly what you need. An environment full of heat, passion, hard work, physical strength and most importantly your future girlfriend (that is if you have not confessed to one another already).

Well don't worry about Ash and Serena. I shall take good care of them. You have my word Furthermore with Serena's help I have fixed an internship on mega evolution under Gurkinn's tutelage for you. Now I want you to work hard and well. Furthermore do inform Diantha about your internship. Tell them Ash has already won 2 badges and is on his way to the next gym. The 2 of them will be fine together. Finally before ending this letter I will say his to you Clemont. Don't mess things up with Korrina. She is a lovely girl and in a way perfect for you. Don't worry you will meet us in the future when Ash challenges your gym. But that will not be before 2 months. For we shall challenge the other remaining ones first.

Ash and Serena Wish you luck with Korrina

D. E.

Don't mention me to Diantha when you call her or Korrina for that matter. When the time is right I will reveal it myself. But I am asking you to keep faith in me for the moment.

(After you have finished reading you will notice a black powdery mark at the bottom of this letter. Just give it a rub with your finger and watch)

* * *

Clemont finishes reading. Then he rubs the black spot. A few seconds later the entire letter catches fire and before Clemont can do anything there is nothing left but soot. Clemont is shocked at first but then he smiles.

'Good One Dragon Emperor.' Clemont thinks to himself as he walks to join Korrina and Gurkinn for some soup and lunch.

"What happened? Why did they leave?" Korrina asks.

"Well it seems they thought it will be better if I learned about Mega Evolution from your grandfather." Clemont says.

"That's great. Awesome." Korrina says in an ecstatic tone.

"Indeed. I look forward to working with you." Gurkinn says while breaking a piece of bread.

 **(After Lunch is over)**

Clemont is calling KIP from his holocaster. Suddenly the a computer screen comes in focus with Prof. Sycamore in it.

"Ah. Clemont how are you. Good to see you." He says.

"Thanks Prof. Where is Diantha. I needed to speak with her regarding an important development." Clemont says.

"Well Diantha is shooting for her movie right now. She will be back by evening. Tell me what it was and I will tell her." Sycamore replies.

 **(10 minutes later)**

"Well there is no problem as far as I can see. Interning under Gurkinn will be a wonderful opportunity for you. We both know that Ash and Serena can take care of themselves so there should be no problem at all. Anything else?" Sycamore asks.

Clemont considers telling him about the Dragon Emperor but eventually decides against it deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt. Also in a way he fells like he owes Dragon Emperor one for fixing him up with Korrina.

"Nothing." Clemont replies.

"OK then. It was nice talking to you. I need to get going now. I have a lecture in 5 minutes. Bye." Sycamore says before signing off.

 **(Meanwhile on the road)**

"Well where are we going next Dragon Emperor?" Ash asks.

"We are going to Geosenge town. It is there you two will have a trial each which shall determine whether you two are ready to learn about Mega Evolution." Dragon Emperor replies.

"I feel a little guilty about leaving Clemont behind like that. Do you think he will be fine?" Serena asks.

"Knowing Clemont. I bet he will be more than fine. But enough about Clemont tell me do any of you know why we are going to Geosenge Town?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"I have heard that place is abundant with evolutionary stones." Serena says.

"Correct. Your trial is simple find a mega stone which goes with your Pokemon. Any idea which Pokemon it will be?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Let me guess. Lucarionite." Ash replies.

"Good and which one for your Serena?" Dragon Emperor asks Serena.

"U mm. I don't know Sylveonite maybe."Serena says.

"Well sorry to disappoint you but no one has ever found a Sylveonite before. You shall try to get a Delphoxite." Dragon Emperor says.

"But my Braixen hasn't evolved into a Delphox yet." Serena says.

"Oh. Don't worry it is about to evolve any day now. Best to use the fire stone that you got in the initiation ceremony and get it over with." Dragon Emperor replies.

"OK. But I will ask Braixen first." Serena says while tossing her Poke-ball.

She then kneels down and asks Braixen "Tell me do you want to evolve into Delphox. If you do then place your palm on the stone on my hand."

"Braixen Briax." it replies before putting her hand on the fire stone as it begins to evolve.

A few moments later Delphox is standing in front of them.

"Well that's that. Time to get going." Dragon Emperor says while resuming walking.

"Right." Ash and Serena say in unison.


	37. Serena's Determination

**(One Day Later)**

"Alright. Here we are. It is in these mountains your prizes lie. The Lucarionite can be found in the western glittering caves while the Delphoxite can be found in the volcanic caves to the east. You have 1 day. This is your test. To see if you are ready to handle Mega Evolution. Trust in yourselves, trust in each other and above all else trust in your Pokemon. Remember your Lucario and Delphox can sense the presence of their Mega Stones. Use that to find your Mega Stone. Now go." Dragon Emperor says.

"OK." Serena says.

"However. There is a catch." Dragon Emperor says.

"What catch?" Ash asks.

"Should either one of you fail to come here before 24 hour time limit gets over with your mega stones. Your training with Mega Evolution will be postponed as originally planned by me. You will have to go through all the basics first. Then and then only we shall start with Mega Evolution. So the timing of your training with Mega Evolution is in your hands as well as in each other's hands as well. Now get going." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right." Both Ash and Serena say before hugging each other and going their ways.

As the two are going their ways the Dragon Emperor thinks to himself 'He is ready no doubt, but the one who needs to be by his side, I am not so sure at the moment. Now let's see whether she can find her inner strength and prevail or not.'

 **(6 hours Later)**

"Looks like this is the place. So come out Delphox." Serena says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Del Delphox." it says.

"Delphox can you sense the presence of the Delphoxite?" Serena asks.

Delphox simply shakes his head to convey that it can't.

"Well I guess we need to go further in. Stay close to me and keep the flame lit on your stick." Serena says as she enters one of the caves.

Delphox and Serena begin to walk. Suddenly Serena stops and she turns around to look outside the mouth of the cave.

"Best of luck Ash. You will need it. I know I will. Come on Delphox let's go." She says before putting on a brave face and walking deeper into the cave.

 **(2 hours later)**

"It's like a maze in here. How are we supposed to find Delphoxite in the middle of all this?" Serena says with a sigh.

"Del Delphox." Delphox says in an encouraging tone.

"You are right Delphox. Ash wouldn't give up this easily. Then neither will we." Serena says with her sense of determination rejuvenated.

They begin walking again when suddenly a Crobat comes out of nowhere.

"Look a Crobat." Serena says as she flicks open her Pokedex to see what else the Pokedex says.

Suddenly the Crobat attacks without warning with an Air Slash.

"What the. Delphox dodge it." Serena says after being caught off guard.

"Hey why did you attack us?" Serena shouts after the Air Slash has missed.

The Crobat doesn't listen and then again attacks with an Air slash.

"If you want to play it rough. Fine by us. Delphox give it a Flamethrower." Serena commands.

The Flamethrower scores a direct hit causing Crobat to be slammed into the wall.

After recovering from the attack Crobat flies off.

"That's what you get for being a bully." Serena says in a mocking voice.

Suddenly a rustling noise can be heard from the direction in which Crobat flew off to.

"What's that noise?" Serena asks herself.

Suddenly an entire swamp of Crobat, Golbat and Zubat come charging towards Serena and Delphox.

"Oh Oh. I think that Crobat decided to get some reinforcements. Run for it." Serena shouts as she and Delphox hightail it out of there trying to avoid Air Cutters, Poison Stings and Supersonic attacks at the same time.

"I guess they must be mad at us for intruding into their territory." Serena shouts in between of gasps of air.

Suddenly the ground beneath Delphox and Serena crumbles and both of them fall ,while shouting, into what appears to be a swallowing pit of darkness.

 **(One hour Later)**

Serena slowly opens her eyes. She stands up while brushing off the dust. She looks up to see a hole in the wall above her.

"I guess Delphox and I must have fallen through that hole. How on the earth will we get out now. Speaking of we. Where is Delphox?" Serena shouts.

She starts looking around for Delphox but there is no sign of it.

"Delphox. Delphox. If you can hear my voice call back." Serena shouts.

Suddenly her stomach grumbles much to her embarrassment.

"I guess I could eat something as well. It has been quite some time since my last meal." Serena says.

Then she looks around for her bag in which the sandwiches and water she had were kept. But it is nowhere to be found as well.

"Oh no. When we must've fallen the bag must have gotten separated from us." She shouts at the top of her voice. Then she drops to her knees and starts to cry.

"Ash. Where are you?" she shouts at the top of her voice.

 **(Meanwhile in another cave system)**

"Serena?" Ash says while suddenly turning around.

"Pika?" Pikachu says.

"Nothing Pikachu. I just thought I heard Serena call out to me that's all. I must be hearing things. Ignore it. Let's keep going." Ash says as he, Pikachu and Lucario continue their search.

'I know you can do it Serena. I have faith in you.' Ash thinks to himself as the 3 enter another tunnel.

 **(Back in another part of the Volcanic Caves)**

Suddenly Delphox wakes up. It looks around to see only Serena's bag pack present but not Serena. It realizes what must have happened. It opens Serena's bag. Eats some Pokemon food, closes the bag and then starts to look for Serena.

Meanwhile Serena is crying. She feels completely helpless.

"What was I thinking? I am not strong as Ash is. I am just a ordinary girl who tried to bite of more than she could chew. Now I shall be stuck in this wretched cave forever." Serena says with tears trickling from her eyes.

'Don't give up till it's over.' A voice says in her head.

'I am so proud of what you have achieved Serena.' Another voice says.

Serena get's shocked.

Then another voice comes in her head. 'I see something in you. Something which you don't even see in yourself.' it says.

Serena takes a deep breath.

"That's right. I am not alone. Ash, Mom and even the Dragon Emperor have supported me in the past. I have worked hard to earn my title of the Kalos Queen. I won't let Ash and Dragon Emperor down." Serena says while wiping her tears and standing up.

"Now what is Dragon Emperor always telling us. Calm yourself, analyze your surrounding and use all of your senses." Serena says as she calmly inspects where she is right now.

"It seems the only way out of this place is the way I came in through that hole. But the walls surrounding it are very smooth. I can't climb it. So what do I do?" Serena says before closing her eyes.

Suddenly she remembers what the Dragon Emperor told them both before they left to search for their Mega Stone. 'Trust in your Pokemon.'

"Arcanine come out. I need your assistance." Serena says as she tosses her Poke-ball.

"Arcanine. I need you to lend me your strength. Will you let me ride you out of that hole in the wall." Serena asks Arcanine while pointing to the hole.

As soon as Arcanine nods it's head she get on it's back and a few somersaults later both of them get out.

"Alright Arcanine. I need you to find Delphox for me. Here you should get her scent from her Poke-ball." Serena says.

Arcanine gives it some sniffs. Then it starts sniffing the ground. A few moments later it gives a bark telling Serena that it found something.

"Alright. On we go then." Serena says as she holds on tight to Arcanine.

Arcanine then starts to run off after the scent.

Meanwhile not to far away Delphox is searching for Serena while carrying Serena's bag with her. Suddenly out of nowhere the swarm of Crobat, Golbat and Zubat come charging at it and attack Delphox with a never ending series of Razor Wind attacks. Delphox gets hit very badly and is slammed into the wall. The swarm then uses Air cutter on Serena's bag pack which is lying on the floor. But before any attack can damage the bag pack Delphox jumps onto it and takes all the attacks determined to protect her trainer's property at all costs.

Very soon Delphox is on the ground wincing in pain after taking so many attacks. The Crobat all zoom in on Delphox determined to finish it off with a bite attack. Delphox closes it's eyes awaiting the bite attacks when suddenly a fire spin comes out of nowhere acting as a defensive barrier between the injured Delphox and the Crobat swarm.

"Leave my poor Delphox alone." Serena says as she tosses all of her remaining Poke-balls releasing Milotic, Pancham and Sylveon.

"Arcanine Fire Spin, Pancham Dark Pulse, Sylveon Swift and Milotic Water gun." Serena commands.

However the Crobat, Zubat and Golbat don't give in without a fight as they use Air Slash and Supersonic to counter.

An explosion takes place and the wall begin to shake and crumble.

'It's too dangerous to battle here. The walls could collapse. Better do something fast. But what?' Serena thinks to herself.

"That's it." Serena shouts.

"Arcanine got get Delphox and my bag. Milotic, Pancham and Sylveon aim for the ceiling above those Crobat and use Hydro Pump, Dark Pulse and Moonblast." Serena commands.

Arcanine gets Delphox and Serena's bag. She recall all of her Pokemon except Arcanine into their Poke-ball and then rides out of there on Arcanine's back seconds before the ceiling collapses.

"I guess I should thank the Dragon Emperor for teaching us the importance of the battlefield in a Pokemon battle when I get back. But before that I need to find what I came her looking for. Arcanine find us a way out of these caves. We shall camp out for the night before coming back tomorrow." Serena says.

 **(Next morning)**

"Well. Let's think. We did explore a lot of these caves yesterday even though we were lost. I think we should go to the next system of caves nearby. What do you think Delphox?" Serena asks.

Delphox nods her head to tell Serena it agrees with her decision.

"Alright then come back into your Poke-ball. You are not yet completely healed from yesterday." Serena says while returning Delphox.

"Arcanine time to take a ride." Serena says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Come on Arcanine let's get going we don't have much time. Ash is counting on us." Serena says while taking off on Arcanine's back.

"I won't let you down Ash. I promise.' Serena thinks to herself as she rides away to the next volcanic cave system.

 **(Meanwhile back at the camp)**

"Congratulations it seems you have found the Lucarionite you were looking for." Dragon Emperor says as Ash comes back with Lucarionite in his hands.

"Wasn't easy but I got the job done." Ash says as he hands Dragon Emperor the Lucarionite.

"Of course. Now it's all up to Serena. If she fails to get her before the 24 hour time limit is over then you both will miss out on starting with Mega Evolution." Dragon Emperor says.

"She will get here in time." Ash says with a determined look.

"We shall see." Dragon Emperor says while turning away.

'That is if she manages to find her true strength.' Dragon Emperor thinks to herself.

 **(In the Volcanic Caves)**

"Alright. We don't want another incident like the previous one. So Arcanine keep a sharp lookout for any Pokemon like those Crobat. Keep sniffing as well." Serena says as she tosses Delphox's Poke-ball.

"Delphox sit behind me. Close your eyes. See if you can feel the presence of the Delphoxite. Arcanine let's go. Keep a sharp eyes and everyone stay quiet. Best not attract unwanted attention to ourselves." Serena says as Arcanine enters the cave cautiously.

 **(One** **hour Later)**

"Well we still have a ways to go. Let's keep looking." Serena says.

Suddenly Arcanine gets alert and starts growling.

"What is it Arcanine?" Serena asks when suddenly a group of Crobat and a horde of Diglett come charging towards.

"Quick Arcanine jump onto that rock for the moment." Serena says pointing to a rock protruding from the wall on the right.

Arcanine jumps away and all 3 of them observe in silence as they watch Crobat, Diglett and Aron running without even paying the 3 any attention.

"What's going on here? It looks like they are running away from something but what?" Serena says seconds before a huge roar comes from a distance.

"Shush. Be quiet. If we are lucky whatever that thing is. It will pass us without noticing." Serena says to Delphox and Arcanine who both nod.

In a matter of moments a very angry Steelix appears from the tunnel. It gives a huge roar and continues chasing after all those Pokemon without noticing Serena, Arcanine and Delphox.

After Steelix has gone all 3 of them get down from their rocky hideout.

"You know with that Steelix chasing all those Pokemon this gives us an opportunity to check the remaining part of the caves without worrying about running into other Pokemon. Let's finish doing that before that Steelix decides to come back." Serena says while getting on Arcanine along with Delphox and leaving.

 **(2 hours later)**

"Great. Still haven't found anything. Come on let's move to the next cave system." Serena says in an irritated tone.

She gets on Arcanine but Delphox is busy staring at a section of the wall.

"Delphox. You coming?" Serena asks.

Delphox however doesn't respond. Instead it just keeps staring at the section of the wall.

"What is it?" Serena says as she get's of Arcanine's back and walks towards Delphox.

"Delphox why are you standing here in front of this section of the wall?" Serena asks.

"Del Delphox." Delphox replies.

"Listen Delphox we need to hurry. We have just 8 hours left till our deadline gets over. We can't waste time looking at a section of the wall." Serena says while taking Delphox's hand and attempting to drag it back to Arcanine.

However Delphox doesn't move. This time Serena gets frustrated. She shouts "Delphox we are leaving right now. Either you come willingly or I put you in your Poke-ball."

This time Delphox whacks Serena's hand with her stick. Then she frantically points to the section of the wall.

Serena gets shocked and then takes another look at the section of the wall.

'But why is Delphox so interested in this section of the wall. It is like all other walls.' Serena thinks to herself. Suddenly she has a flashback to the day when the Dragon Emperor asked them to shred a leaf and they failed. She remembers his words 'Looks can be deceiving."

"Alright then stand back Delphox. Pancham come on out and then use arm thrust on that wall till it breaks apart." Serena says while backing away and tossing Pancham's Poke-ball.

After a few minutes the wall comes down. When the dust settles Serena turns speechless as she sees an fiery orange stone glittering brightly.

"All right. We found it !" Serena says as she jumps ecstatically.

All of her Pokemon also join in this celebration.

"Good. Now let's go." Serena says as she puts the Delphoxite inside her bag pack.

 **(Half an hour later)**

"Well we are almost out. Good thing all this went smoothly." Serena says.

Suddenly a loud roar is heard and a Steelix comes smashing through the walls to stand in front of them.

"I just had to say that didn't I?" Serena says with a disappointed tone.

Steelix lets out a huge roar before using Iron tail. Arcanine dodges it and gets to a safe distance.

"Alright. Steel types are vulnerable to fire types so Arcanine use Flame Thrower. You do the same Delphox." Serena says.

Steelix however use dig to dodge then it comes back up and use Iron tail smashing the ground in between Arcanine, Delphox and Serena.

The ground cracks open revealing a pool of lava underneath. Arcanine and Delphox manage to dodge while Serena is hanging on to the edge of the hole for dear life.

"Don't worry about me. Use Fire Spin you 2. If it uses Dig aim it into the hole. Then Delphox press the button on Milotic's Poke-ball." Serena says as her fingers start to loose their grip.

A few seconds later Steelix is wincing in pain and Milotic comes out of her Poke-ball.

"Milotic quick pull me up." Serena says seconds before her fingers lose their grip and she is falling into the pit of lava.

Seconds before Serena hits the lava Milotic's tail wraps itself around Serena's body and pulls her up to safety. However due to the intense heat of the lava pit and lack of drinking water Serena is near exhaustion.

"Good job. Now quickly before that Steelix comes back we need to get out of here. I need water." Serena says before fainting due to dehydration and severe heat.

Milotic puts unconscious Serena on Arcanine's back while Delphox pick up Serena's bag and goes to sit on Arcanine's back to ensure Serena doesn't fall off while Arcanine is running. Then the 3 Pokemon run away with Serena.

 **(4 Hours Later)**

Serena opens up her eyes to see Delphox, Arcanine and Milotic looking at her with a concerned expression. Upon seeing Serena is OK all 3 of them nuzzle with Serena affectionately.

"Alright that's enough. I need some water." Serena says while getting up.

Arcanine carries Serena to a nearby stream where Serena drinks water at a rate she has never drank before.

After drinking her fill she says "That was refreshing."

"Thank you. Had it not been for you 3 I would have never made it out alive." Serena says while smiling broadly.

Suddenly she realizes that she has only 3 and a half hours left till the deadline.

"Alright Milotic and Delphox return. Arcanine I need to borrow your strength one more time. Will you lend it to me?" Serena asks Arcanine as he return Delphox and Milotic.

Arcanine gives a nod. Serena smiles before swing her bag pack over her shoulders.

"Alright let's go." Serena says while jumping on Arcanine's back. Arcanine gives a loud howl then start running at breakneck speed.

 **(3 hours later)**

"Alright Arcanine. Take a break. Here eat these berries they will revitalize your strength." Serena says while handing some berries to the exhausted Arcanine.

As Arcanine is eating she turns away and thinks to herself 'Arcanine is doing it's very best but we are still a quarter of our way from the camp. We will not make it.'

Serena gets sad but then as Arcanine finishes eating she shakes off her sad face to ensure Arcanine doesn't feel like it let it's trainer down. Arcanine however senses Serena's feeling and deduces what is happening. When Serena gets off this time it gives a loud roar instead of a howl and then starts running at an extremely fast pace in which Serena can't even see her surrounding without seeing a blur. She gets confused at first but then she realizes that Arcanine is using Extreme Speed.

"Arcanine you are the best. Now we might just make it in time. Let's go." Serena says happily.

Arcanine gives a smile then it goes back to it's determined face focusing on the path ahead.

 **(1 minute before the deadline)**

"I am getting worried. What if something happened to her? I am going to take a look." Ash says.

"You will do no such thing. This is her trial it is up to her to pass or fail in this trial." Dragon Emperor says.

"I don't care about the stupid trial. I care about her. She is my girlfriend and my responsibility." Ash replies in an angry tone.

"She is my apprentice as well. I am shocked to see that you have such little faith in the one you claim to love. Love is all about trust. Be patient. If she doesn't come back before the deadline that is in 30 seconds we shall go and look for her." Dragon Emperor replies.

Ash feels like saying something but decides against it. Suddenly Arcanine jumps over a rock with Serena on it's back and lands in front of the Dragon Emperor.

"Well well. Look who made it back just in the nick of time. Cutting it quite close aren't we." Dragon Emperor says with a chuckle as Serena gets off.

Serena smiles upon hearing that then she hands Dragon Emperor her Delphoxite seconds before being tackled into a hug by Ash.

"Serena you had me worried sick. What took you so long?" Ash shouts in a little angry tone.

"Relax. I will tell you everything but first I need to tend to my fainted Arcanine." Serena says with a smile as she gesture to Arcanine who has fainted after using Extreme Speed for so long.

"Well you two passed your tests. Your training shall recommence from tomorrow. Ash you take any injured Pokemon and these Mega Stone to Geosenge town. Get them shaped and the Pokemon looked at. Meanwhile Serena you take a rest. Looks like you took a beating or 2 alright. Finally Ash do get some food packed as well." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right." Ash says as he takes out Charizard. He takes all the injured Pokemon in their balls and the 2 Mega Stones and takes off on Charizard's back.

As Serena is sitting down in front of the camp fire Dragon Emperor comes and sits in front of her. Then he looks at her for a long while. Serena doesn't do anything as she is confused at what Dragon Emperor is doing.

"It seems you have grown a bit. Looks like you found your inner strength in the cave of trials after all." Dragon Emperor says while breaking the ominous silence.

"Thank you Dragon Emperor. You have taught me a very important lesson today. Till now I have been borrowing the strength from you Ash, my mom, my mentor and all my other friends and relatives. But this was the first time I have learned the importance of self reliance. Thank you for teaching me all those lessons. Without them there was no way I would have been able to pass this trial." Serena says.

"Good. You managed to pass your trial as per my expectations. Well done. Continue your rest. You need it." Dragon Emperor says before smiling and then getting up and walking away.

Serena gives a smile upon hearing that then she simply closes her eyes and drifts off in peace.


	38. 3 Months Later

**(3 Months Later)**

"Well it's been 3 months. You both still have a long way to go. But you have done very well. Now we come back to where we met. KIP is just a hour or two away. So here is where we part ways for the moment. After wrapping everything up in Lumiose I expect you to meet me here." Dragon Emperor says before stopping.

"Right we will." Ash and Serena says as Dragon Emperor walks away.

"So you ready for your battle with Paul?" Serena says while they are walking.

"Yup. Yesterday Diantha told me that Paul has been training hard with Cynthia to prepare for his match with me. Plus I heard that Clemont and Korrina are in KIP as well. Being Gym Leaders they are giving some guest practical lectures on electric and fighting type Pokemon." Ash replies.

"That's good. We haven't seen those 2 in a long while. I can't wait to meet mom again. She must have been worried sick. We haven't talked to her in over 2 months now." Serena says.

"Hey don't worry. After I wipe the floor with Paul and win my last badge from Clemont we shall have some dinner or something before rejoining Dragon Emperor." Ash replies.

"Of course. It's just that I wish I could have a battle too. I have been itching for one." Serena says in a rather sad tone.

"Don't worry. I am sure you will have one soon." Ash says as they continue walking.

 **(One and a Half Hours Later)**

"Good to see you Ash. Long time no see." Sycamore says as he shakes Ash's hands.

"Same goes for me Prof. It's good to be back here." Ash says as Diantha, Cynthia, Brandon, Prof. Oak, Grace and Paul walk into the room as well.

"Mom." Serena shouts as she tackles Grace into a hug. Grace smiles when Ash comes over and gives her a hug as well.

"I missed you two a lot. You have no idea how much I missed you two." Grace says with a few tears trickling out of her eyes.

"We missed you too." Ash and Serena say in unison.

"Ash good to see you." Diantha and Cynthia say in unison.

"Good to see you 2 as well. Cynthia what are you still doing here? what about the Sinnoh league?" Ash asks.

"Oh it got finished a week back. After finishing all my challenges I came back here. I just came back 2 days ago actually." Cynthia says.

"Young man. How are you?" Brandon asks.

"Good Brandon. But what are you doing here. Is your work over?" Ash asks.

"Oh yes. My work in the ruins is done. Now today I will set out for Kanto once again. From there I will go to the site of the next ruins which I hear about." Brandon says.

"Oh. I will be sorry to see you go Brandon." Ash says.

"About that. Young man I would very much like if you could have a battle with me before I left. I want to see how much you have grown since you left on your Kalos journey. Would you mind."

"Sure I would love to battle you." Ash says.

"Now hold on. I am the one who is going to battle Ash first." Paul interjects.

"I am sure you can adjust. I am leaving later today." Brandon says.

"That's not my problem. I have this match booked and everything. Furthermore I have been training quite hard." Paul replies in an annoyed tone.

"Paul that is no way to talk to Brandon." Cynthia says.

"Agreed. But Paul does have a point." Diantha says.

"Well I am sure we can come up with a solution." Oak says.

"No need to think so much. The solution is simple. How about 3 double battles. Me and Serena vs Paul and Brandon. If my team loses Paul gets my title." Ash says.

"Interesting idea." Sycamore says.

"Wow. I didn't know that travelling on a journey with your performer girlfriend would actually make you foolish enough to think that a performer like her could actually compete against trainers like me or Brandon. You must be desperate to get rid of your title." Paul says in a mocking tone.

Serena however gives a smile and says "If that is the case you should have no problem wiping the floor with us. That is unless you are scared to do it in the first place."

Diantha, Cynthia, Grace, Brandon , Sycamore and Oak raise an eyebrow at Serena's calm reply.

"I guess then that is settled then. Any objections?" Ash asks.

Upon seeing no objections Diantha says "Very well then it is settled. The match will consist of 3 double battles with no substitutions. It will happen in 2 hours."

After everyone leaves Grace comes over to Serena and asks her "Dear. Will you be OK? I don't mean to sound discouraging but Paul and Brandon are tough battlers. You have never been one for battling? Will you be alright?" in a concerned tone.

"Relax mom. About time I got some exercise." Serena says while giving a yawn.

She then turns to Ash and says "I am going to my mom's room for a nap. Will you join us?"

"No thanks. I have an errand to run. I will see you later." Ash says.

 **(2 Hours Later)**

"The 3 double battles between Ash Serena ad Paul Brandon is about to begin. Once the battle begins there will be no substitutions. Bring out your first Pokemon." Referee shouts.

"Kid. Let's use a strategy. If she is as weak as you say. We should get rid of her first then deal with Ash with a numeric advantage." Brandon says.

"Sure. I would like nothing better than to wipe that look of her face." Paul replies as he bring out a Poke-ball.

"Ursaring stand by for battle." Paul says.

"Regirock I need your assistance." Brandon while tossing his Poke-ball.

"Sylveon let's go." Serena says.

"You too Sceptile." Ash says.

"Battle begin." Referee says.

"Stone Edge on Sylveon." Brandon commands.

"Use your feelers to knock them away." Serena says lazily.

"But how?" Brandon says as all the rocks are knocked away.

"Don't worry about how for you have me to deal with Sceptile Bullet Seed." Ash commands.

"Regirock Iron defense." Brandon Counters.

"Ursaring Bulk up. Then Hammer arm." Paul commands.

Ursaring get close with Hammer Arm. It is about to attack when suddenly Serena says "Use Safeguard then Attract."

Ursaring bounces off Safeguard then stumbles and loses it's balance. Then it get's hit by the Attract attack.

"Pathetic. This is why you don't bring an amateur to fight against someone like me. You see Serena my Ursaring's ability is Guts." Paul says with a smirk as a red Aura engulf Ursaring and it get's very angry.

"Now crush that Sylveon with one blow. Use Hammer Arm." Paul says while Serena is standing calmly observing the entire battle.

Moments before Ursaring is about to attack Sylveon Serena orders "Quick attack to evade then Yawn."

Sylveon disappears to Ursaring and Paul's confusion.

"Where is it?" Paul says in a frustrated tone while looking all over the battlefield. Suddenly Sylveon appears behind Ursaring and that Yawn attack meets it's mark causing Ursaring to fall asleep.

Paul is shocked at what just happened. There is stunned silence in the stadium.

"Misty Terrain followed by Draining kiss." Serena commands.

Meanwhile Brandon's Regirock is having a tough battle with Ash's Sceptile.

"Stone Edge go." Brandon says.

"Bullet Seed knock them all away." Ash commands.

"Come on Brandon you can do better than that." Ash says in a taunting tone.

"Use Lock on followed by Hyper Beam." Brandon Commands.

Ash smirks upon hearing that. He says "Solar beam to counter then Leaf Blade at the legs."

"Oh no." Brandon shouts as he realizes that he has played right into Ash's hands.

Seconds later Regirock is on it's knees after taking effective leaf blades at it's knees.

"Even the strongest building can't stand up without the proper support from the foundation. Your tactic to use Lock on before Hyper Beam is getting old." Ash says.

"In that case try Focus Punch." Brandon commands.

"Sceptile Razor Leaf into Leech Seed." Ash coolly commands.

A few seconds later Regirock is wincing in pain as it once again falls onto it's knees.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"It seems both Paul and Brandon have bitten of more than they can chew." Diantha says.

"You are right. I am especially surprised by Serena. I think she knew that Ursaring's ability is Guts but she still activated it to make Paul think he had got the upper hand and drop his guard. She kept Sylveon's speed in her back to use it at just the right moment to lure Paul into a trap. No wonder she was so calm when Paul was taunting her. She has been in complete control of this battle all this while." Cynthia says.

Grace is shocked at what Cynthia said. Furthermore she can't believe how well Serena is doing.

"One thing I don't get is how strong she has become in such a small amount of time. How did she do that?" Oak says.

"Even I have been thinking that. It generally takes trainers years to reach the level which she has manged to reach in what appears to be a little over 3 months. Very impressive." Diantha says while breaking her silence.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"Now Sylveon time to show Paul how pathetic you and I are. Use Moonblast." Serena says.

A little while later an explosion occurs revealing a fainted Ursaring with swirly eyes.

"So much for finishing of my Sylveon." Serena says while smirking. Paul gets extremely irritated at being so thoroughly humiliated as he returns Ursaring to it's Poke-ball.

"Regirock use Focus Blast." Brandon says out of desperation.

"Shadow ball." Serena says suddenly.

The attacks meet in mid air neutralizing each other.

Brandon gets shocked at this.

"Don't forget it's a double battle. Too bad your partner can't help you. Now Sylveon use Moonblast." Serena says.

"Leaf Storm Sceptile." Ash says.

"Stone Edge go." Brandon attempts to counter. However the stone edge get overpowered and an explosion takes place revealing a knocked out Regirock. Brandon recall Regirock and then turns to Paul and says "Your analysis was wrong. That girl is a competent battler. Our own strategy backfired on us."

"Tell me something I don't know." Paul snarls back.

"Drapion stand by for battle." Paul says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Registeel I need your assistance." Brandon says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Return." Ash and Serena say recalling their Pokemon.

"Now Noctowl stand by for battle." Serena says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Infernape you as well." Ash shouts while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Battle begin." Referee shouts.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Interesting. It seems Serena will be battling with Ash's Noctowl in this round." Oak says.

"But that Noctowl seems a little different." Sycamore remarks.

"Yes it is smaller but it's color marking is unique. I enjoyed studying it." Oak replies.

"Looks like the first round went to Ash and Serena. Any predictions for this round?" Grace asks.

"Hmm. If we look by type Infernape has a huge advantage over both Drapion and Registeel. But no one ever knows what will happen." Diantha says.

"I bet Paul is going to use Toxic Spikes with his Drapion." Cynthia says while reminiscing Ash and Paul's battle in the Sinnoh League.

"Any way it should be a good match." Oak replies.

 **(In the Battlefield)**

"We need to take the upper hand in this match otherwise we will be in big trouble. I shall deal with that Infernape with my Electric attacks. You deal with that Noctowl." Brandon says.

"Agreed. Pin missile go." Paul commands.

"Dodge it. Then Air Slash." Serena counters.

"Stop it with Cross Poison." Paul says.

Meanwhile Registeel is engaged in a fierce battle with Infernape.

"Flash Cannon." Brandon commands.

"Intercept with Flamethrower. Then Flare Blitz." Ash commands.

"Iron Head go." Brandon counters. An explosion takes place sending both opponents sliding back.

"Metal Claw." Brandon commands.

"Focus Punch." Ash counters. Another tie takes place.

"Mud shot." Paul commands.

"Use Zap Cannon." Brandon says.

"You are up Serena." Ash says while smirking.

"Right. Noctowl use Psychic to stop them both. Send Mud Shot at Registeel and Zap Cannon at Drapion." Serena commands.

Both Brandon and Paul clench their fists as both Registeel and Drapion take damage.

 **(In the VIP box)**

"That was incredible. Sending their attacks back at each other." Sycamore exclaims.

"Not just that. If I were to take a guess ,I would say that they waited patiently for that very attack combination. They both knew that Mud Shot being a ground type move will inflict good damage on Registeel and the Zap Cannon shall have a paralytic effect on Drapion." Oak remarks.

Grace is clapping happily while Cynthia and Diantha are observing the battle in pin drop silence.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Time to put this to bed Ash. Time for a opponent switch." Serena says.

"Right. Infernape Fire Spin on Drapion." Ash commands.

"Oh no you don't. Registeel protect Drapion. Use Sandstorm." Brandon says as the Sandstorm absorbs the Fire Spin and starts moving slowly towards Infernape.

"You never change do you Brandon?" Ash says suddenly while smirking.

"What do you mean?" Brandon asks with a puzzled tone.

"Don't you remember this is exactly what happened in your Registeel's battle with my Torkoal. Serena if you would do the honours." Ash says.

"Right. Noctowl use Gust to push it back." Serena commands.

"Don't think it will be that easy. Keep pushing the Sandstorm towards them Registeel. Show me your willpower" Brandon shouts.

"Drapion use Toxic Spikes quick." Paul says knowing Drapion is partially paralyzed and won't last much long.

Ash and Serena both smirk then they give each other a nod.

"Noctowl climb higher but keep using Gust to keep the Sandstorm at bay." Serena says.

"What are they planning?" Paul shouts as Toxic Spikes are about to land on the field.

"Infernape Dig. Then you know what to do." Ash says.

The Toxic Spikes land on the battlefield but suddenly the ground starts glowing a hot red.

"Alright Noctowl. Abandon Gust and fly as high as you can." Serena says.

"Oh no." Paul and Brandon shout as they realize what's going to happen.

"And Ka-Boom." Ash says as the entire battlefield gets engulfed in flames due to Infernape's underground Flare Blitz. Registeel and Drapion howl in pain while Noctowl is safely flying out of reach of the fiery chasm below. Furthermore the Toxic Spikes are also being destroyed. When the flames subside Noctowl comes down and Infernape comes up. While Drapion and Registeel struggle to get up.

"Time to finish it." Serena says.

"Right. You know what to do." Ash says.

"Noctowl use Psychic to pick them up and bring them next to each other." Serena says.

"Finish them both of at the same time. Give me your best Overheat." Ash commands.

The powerful Overheat attack collides with the floating immobilized duo of Drapion and Registeel and a huge explosion takes place revealing them both fainted on the ground with swirly eyes. There is stunned silence in the stadium. Both Paul and Brandon are shaking as they have never been outclassed like this before. Ash and Serena on the other hand are simply smiling back as they recall their Pokemon.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"I don't believe it." Cynthia says in disbelief.

"Paul and Brandon didn't even land a proper hit on those 2. How is that even possible. It's like they predicted all of Paul and Brandon's moves and had a counter set up before they even had to encounter it." Sycamore says.

The rest of the people including the frontier brains, professors and Grace are all shell shocked at this level of display of dominance.

 **(In the Battlefield)**

Brandon recomposes himself and shouts over to Ash and Serena and says "I am very impressed and proud at the both of you. I know I have been beaten but know that I am happy to see your progress."

Ash and Serena give a small bow and says "Thank you Brandon. That means a lot coming from you."

"But I am fighting till the end. Don't expect an easy victory just yet." Brandon says as he tosses Regice's Poke-ball.

Paul on the other hand is still shaken up. He casts a nervous glance on Serena who returns a smirk. Upon seeing that smirk he loses control and shouts "Electivire stand by for battle."

"I see while I would love to battle your Electivire and beat it but my Ash's Pikachu has a bone to pick with it. Since Pikachu is so adorable I cannot refuse it." Serena says as Pikachu jumps onto the battlefield to face Electivire.

"Arcanine deal with Regice for me." Serena says while tossing Arcanine's Poke-ball.

"Battle begin." Referee shouts.

"Arcanine Fire Spin on Regice." Serena commands.

"Regice Protect." Brandon commands.

"Arcanine run towards Regice while using Fire Spin then break through using Iron tail then Fire Fang." Serena commands.

Brandon clenches his fist in anger as he knows if he uses a counter move then protect will get overpowered and Regice will get overwhelmed by the continuous Fire Spin. Soon Regice is sent flying after being hit by Arcanine. Meanwhile Pikachu is fighting against Electivire.

"Pikachu use Iron Tail." Ash commands.

"Electivire Thunder Punch." Paul counters.

An explosion takes place with both being sent sliding back.

"I see. Pikachu has got stronger." Paul remarks.

"So has your Electivire." Ash replies.

"No matter. Electivire use Brick break." Paul commands.

"Come on. Do something different for a change will you. Pikachu counter with the same." Ash replies in a bored tone.

"Then how about this. Electivire use Ice Punch." Paul says.

"I see. An Ice type move. Not bad. just not good enough. Pikachu use Fire Fang." Ash says.

"Fire Fang!" Paul shouts in surprise as Pikachu bites on to Electivire's Ice punch with Fire fang.

"You didn't think I would be goofing around while training for 3 months did you. Just because Pikachu is the Electric mouse doesn't men it can't use moves of other types." Ash says with a smirk.

Paul clenches his fist with pure frustration as this battle is turning just like the previous battles were. Meanwhile Brandon is struggling against Arcanine's continuous Fiery Assaults.

"Regice Ice beam to trap Arcanine." Brandon says.

"That tactic again. Ash was right you really don't change. Do you? Arcanine, Extreme Speed to dodge then into Fire Blast." Serena commands.

'That Arcanine is too fast. Need to do something fast. Can't use Hyper Beam it will leave my Regice immobilized and vulnerable.' Brandon thinks to himself.

Regice use Lock on followed by Zap Cannon." Brandon says hoping to paralyze Arcanine to get a clear shot.

"Arcanine use Flamethrower to neutralize it." Serena counters.

"Use Zap Cannon rapid fire." Brandon says.

"Come on. You can do better. Arcanine use Protect." Serena calmly says.

"Now Regice Ice beam around that Protect to trap it. Then rest." Brandon shouts.

"A rather desperate move. Arcanine use Dig then come out and finish it with Overheat." Serena says while smirking.

An explosion takes place revealing a fainted Regice.

Brandon gives a sigh then recalls Regice while saying it did a great job. Meanwhile Ash and Paul are still engaged in a fierce fight.

"Now Electivire use Giga Impact." Paul commands.

"Enough fooling around time to use your true power Pikachu. Stop Electivire with Psychic and lift it up." Ash says.

"Psychic? But how can an electric Pokemon use a Psychic type move. It doesn't make any sense." Paul shouts as Electivire is floating in mid air.

"Pikachu use Psybeam then finish it off with 3 iron tails." Ash says.

A few moments later Electivire is on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Electivire an Regice are unable to battle. The winner of this tag team battle is Ash and Serena. So retaining his title of coveted school champion is Ash Ketchum." Referee shouts as the crowd erupts into cheer. Brandon also claps while Paul drops to his knees in disbelief after returning Electivire. After a while he looks up to see Serena looking down on him.

"What do you want?" Paul asks in annoyed tone.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say that you have a long way to go before you can actually think of challenging my Ash seriously. But I was quite impressed with your Pokemon. They are quite well raised." Serena replies.

Paul gives an annoyed scowl then gets up to his feet. "I don't need your opinion." he says.

"Sure. After all I am the performer who couldn't even hope of beating a competent trainer like you or Brandon. So why should my opinion matter." Serena says in a sarcastic tone before walking away.

Paul clenches his fist in anger. When suddenly Brandon comes up to him and says "She is right you know. You let your emotions get the better of you in the second half of the match which allowed them to score an easier win. The truth is neither of us as we are right now could win against those 2. Bitter as it may be you need to accept it."

 **(In the VIP Box)**

Everyone claps for Ash and Serena. Grace wipes her tears then runs out of the box to meet Ash and Serena.

After the clapping has subsided Diantha stands up and says "Prof. Oak, Sycamore and Cynthia I need to speak to you. We will meet in my office after everyone has gone home."

"I know what's on your mind Diantha. I too wish to speak about it." Cynthia says.

"Very well then. For now let's go and congratulate the 2 on their victory." Diantha says as everyone leaves the Box.


	39. Busted - I

**(After the Battle is Over)**

"My my. That was quite the battle." Diantha says while walking towards Ash and Serena.

"Thanks Diantha." they say in unison.

"I was most impressed by how you lured Paul into a trap by making him think he had an advantage with that Attract move on Ursaring." Cynthia says. Serena gives a curt bow on hearing that.

"Most impressive team work. You outclassed them both. Looks like your journey has really paid off." Sycamore says causing Ash and Serena to blush very faintly.

"Ash tell me how did Pikachu use Psychic attacks like Psybeam?" Oak asks with a tone of inquisitiveness.

"Of Course it can use Psychic attacks. After all Pikachu is a Psychic type Pokemon. Just because it is is a recess." Ash says when suddenly Serena flashes her eyes in a warning way. Cynthia and Diantha however notice this and they become more suspicious.

"I mean that Pokemon can use moves which are different from their types right. It's all a matter of training them in the correct way." Ash hastily says correcting himself.

"I see." Sycamore says in an unconvinced manner.

"Anyway Ash, me and my mom are going out to celebrate. So we will talk tomorrow. Do you mind?" Serena says while taking Ash by his arm and walking away.

Diantha considers asking them a little more but decides against it. She puts on a smile and says "Of course. Now go enjoy yourselves. You have earned it."

"Thanks Diantha." Ash and Serena say before hightailing it out of there.

As soon as they leave Diantha says to Cynthia "Did you notice the way Serena flashed her eyes when Ash was talking about Pikachu's Psychic attacks?"

"I did. You are right. He was about to say something which he wasn't supposed to say. She stopped him. Now I am sure they are hiding something." Cynthia replies.

"But what? Is the question. Come we shall talk inside my office." Diantha says while leaving as Cynthia, Oak and Sycamore follow suit.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

Ash and Serena enter their room. They check every corner for anybody being present. Then they lock the door and go into the bedroom and lock it too.

"Ash what were you thinking telling them about Pikachu being a Recessive Psychic Pokemon. Remember they are not supposed to know about Dominant and Recessive Pokemon types. Did you forget what Dragon Emperor told us regarding keeping it secret?" Serena says.

"I am sorry Serena. I just forgot." Ash says.

"Well good thing I was there to ensure you didn't screw it up. By the way I have been meaning to ask what errand did you run before the match?" Serena says while collapsing on a chair with a thud.

"Oh nothing. Just won the Voltage Badge from Clemont is all. So at what time does your mom have her reservation at Le Cirque?" Ash asks.

"In 2 hours why?" Serena replies.

"Good then we can have some fun time." Ash says while putting his hand inside her dress. However Serena gives it a little whack.

"Hey what was that for?" Ash says.

"Don't forget we need to feed our Pokemon too. First we shall do that then you get to have your fun time." Serena says while getting up. Ash grumbles in protest but soon follows suit.

 **(In Diantha's Office)**

"Well let us examine what we know." Diantha says.

"First we have Serena who is a Pokemon performer and not a serious battler becoming an extremely powerful and competent trainer in as little as 3 months." Cynthia says.

"Second we see Pikachu using Fire Fang and Psychic moves. Something which it should not be able to do from what we know about our knowledge of Pikachu." Oak says.

"Third when Ash is talking about Pikachu's type he describes it as a Psychic type." Sycamore says.

"And finally when he is about to say something which he is not supposed to Serena flashes her eyes in a warning way to ensure he doesn't do that." Diantha says.

"On thing I don't get is how did she get so strong in such a small amount of time. She may be a good trainer but to reach the level of a competent powerful trainer like Brandon or Paul for that matter should take years of practice and experience. All of them have battled for years or competed in several journeys and challenged various leagues. I am sure even Cynthia and Diantha would struggle at least a little against Paul or Brandon but these 2 calmly defeated them both." Sycamore remarks.

"Defeat doesn't even describe it. Demolish is more like it. During the course of the entire match there was not a single clean hit that either Paul or Brandon could land. It was either countered or parried away or avoided." Diantha remarks.

"Furthermore the level of co-ordination displayed in the team battle was phenomenal. I have never seen Divide and Conquer used so effectively before." Oak remarks to everyone's agreement.

"The speed, power, precision, accuracy of their Pokemon was incredible as well. Not to mention being able to use moves which they are not supposed to be able to use. Fire Fang I can still understand. But Psychic and Psybeam is too much of a coincidence." Sycamore says as well.

"Not to mention do you remember when we called the 3 once on their journey we found that Ash had not challenged any gym apart from the Santalune City Gym. Then soon we find out that he has won 2 badges in quick succession." Diantha remarks.

"Yes I do. That was rather strange. Now that I think of it if anyone can shed a light on this mystery it is Clemont. He is the one who can tell us what happened to these two on their journey. How these two became so strong in such a short period of time?" Sycamore remarks.

"I agree. We should call Clemont here and ask him in front of us." Cynthia says while seconding.

"Alright then." Diantha says while dialing Clemont's number.

 **(Back in Ash and Serena's Apartment)**

"Well that's that. The rest of the Pokemon are in the KIP Pokemon Healthcare unit." Serena says.

"Good." Ash says while coming from behind and picking Serena up in bridal style.

"Wow. You must be desperate to see me naked." Serena remarks while smirking.

"Of course I am. With all that intense training we go through the moment the 2 of us enter our tent at night we fall asleep." Ash says while opening the door of the bedroom with his foot.

"Well for once I agree with you." Serena says as Ash puts her on the bed.

Ash and Serena both remove their shoes.

"Come here you." Serena says as she pulls Ash's shirt.

"No need to tell me twice." Ash replies with a grin before going down on her and kissing her.

 **(Half an hour later in Diantha's Office)**

"Well Clemont tell me how is your internship going?" Diantha asks Clemont.

"Fine. Korrina's grandfather is a very learned man. But you didn't call me at this time to ask me just that did you?" Clemont replies.

"Of course not. Did you see the match between Ash and Serena vs Paul and Brandon?" Diantha asks.

"No I did not. I was tending to my Pokemon who took a severe beating after my gym battle with Ash in the afternoon before the match took place." Clemont replies.

"Gym battle? I didn't know that. How did it go?" Diantha asks.

"Oh. Must have been my most humiliating gym battle. He went through all my Pokemon without even breaking a sweat. But I wasn't shocked to say the least." Clemont says with a disappointed tone.

"Why weren't you shocked?" Cynthia asks thinking now they were getting somewhere.

"Well if you train around for 3 month with someone like Dra,I-I-I mean train really hard in the wild you get very strong." Clemont says while quickly correcting himself.

"Are you sure it's just that?" Diantha asks with a raised eyebrow causing Clemont to gulp and start flinching.

"Pretty sure." Clemont replies.

"Clemont enough lies. I know you were going to tell us someone's name when you stopped yourself mid sentence. If you don't tell us the truth right now. I will suspend you from the Institution and I am not joking." Diantha says with a warning tone.

Clemont gulps and flinches on hearing that. He looks around to see all other people peering down at him with a hard penetrative gaze. He realizes that he has no way out but to tell the truth.

"Alright fine listen. It all started after we left for Cyllage City. We were camping in the night when we heard a huge explosion. Concerned it might have been trouble we decided to go over there and take a look. That is where we met him." Clemont replies.

"Met who?" Diantha asks.

"A Pokemon master by the name of Dragon Emperor." Clemont replies.

"Young man you don't need me to tell you that there are no such things as Pokemon masters. It is just a concept to motivate trainers but it shall always remain fictitious because no one knows how many Pokemon even exist. So it's impossible to catch all of them. But I am sure you know that so what happened?" Diantha asks.

Clemont then tells them about Dragon Emperor's battle with Ash, his offer to train Ash and Serena, his weird conditions. He speaks while the other listen in pin drop silence till the Shalour City gym. After he finishes there is pin drop silence in the room.

Diantha stands up and says "I gave you one job to do. That is look after Ash and Serena and tell us about any strange developments and you couldn't even do that. I must confess I am a little disappointed in you." in a disappointed tone.

"The question is what do we do about this Dragon Emperor character. We know nothing about him. For all we know he could be working with a criminal organization." Sycamore remarks.

"Besides what kind of a name is Dragon Emperor? Sounds very dodgy to me." Oak remarks as well.

"Agreed. Ash and Serena may be in danger for all we know. Trusting a stranger who has no qualification or identity was very reckless of them. What were they thinking?" Cynthia says.

"I am sorry. All this is my fault. Anything I can do to help?" Clemont says.

"You have done enough. Let the grown ups deal with this. Now leave us Clemont for we have much to discuss." Diantha says in a firm tone.

Clemont feeling guilty at his lack of judgement leaves the room crestfallen.

After making sure he has gone Diantha turns to the others and says "From what Clemont told us Dragon Emperor has kept his identity very secret. Keeping Clemont's training separate from Ash and Serena's. To burning the letter he left for Clemont back in the Shalour gym. Looks like he wants to keep his identity under wraps alright. So first let's get in touch with the Police authorities of the various regions. See if they have any criminal records of a man by this name. If not then we need to get someone to get more information about this Dragon Emperor."

"Don't worry. I know just the man for the job. His name is Looker. His involvement was crucial in bringing Team Galactic down. I'll give him a call." Cynthia says.

"What about Delia and Grace. Shouldn't they know what kind of danger their kids might be in?" Oak remarks.

"Well Ash and Serena are celebrating tonight. They have earned their celebration alright. We shall inform Grace and Ash's mother first thing in the morning." Diantha says.

"Well that is that. Prof. Oak and I have to get back to our research right now. So please excuse us." Sycamore says while taking his leave.

"Well I am calling over my elite four tomorrow. After we do that we shall both contact the Police authorities together." Diantha says.

"OK." Cynthia replies.

 **(Meanwhile back at the Apartment)**

"Button me up Ash quickly otherwise we will be late." Serena says.

"You know how much I enjoy seeing you naked. So why ask me to cover you up." Ash replies in a teasing way only to get a smack on his head.

"Ouch. What's with the whacking today?" Ash asks while rubbing his head.

"Just because you are banging the Kalos Queen doesn't mean she doesn't get to whack you as well." Serena replies in a smirking manner.

"In that case you should have no problem with me tickling you." Ash says with a grin.

"Ash if you ruin my dress no sex for you when we come back." Serena says in a loud warning way enough to make Ash back off at the prospect of not being able to have sex tonight.

"Right." Ash says as he buttons Serena up and zips her. Serena smiles at the fact how easily she can control and sway Ash's thoughts and decisions while Ash is zipping the dress on her back.

 **(An Hour Later)**

"Wow. You are 15 minutes late." Grace says as Serena enters the restaurant with Ash.

"Sorry. Your daughter had a wardrobe malfunction." Ash says in a joking way only to be whacked by Serena on the forehead.

"Relax I was only joking." Ash says as he playfully catches her hand when she tries to whack him for a second time.

"So tell me you two. How was your journey? What kind of experiences did you have. Any new Pokemon you caught?" Grace asks.

"Relax we will tell you everything. But first can we have some food we are starving." Ash and Serena say in unison.

"Sure." Grace says as she snaps her finger. Soon waiters come one after the other carrying dish after dish.

Both Serena and Ash's eyes twinkle with excitement as for 3 months they have had to stay without Clemont's food in the wild. As soon as they see the food they start to gobble it down at a frightening pace much to the shock of Grace. After demolishing all the plates they wipes their mouths and say "That was so good."

Then they divert their attention to Grace who is shocked at the rate at which Ash and Serena devoured all the food.

"I guess you two must not have had food like this in 3 months." Grace says while drinking her soup.

"Oh yeah right." Ash and Serena say while sweat dropping at their own behavior.

Then Ash and Serena begin to describe their adventures as Grace listens intently. Of course the adventures are modified to exclude out the Alolan Pokemon, Dragon Emperor and all relevant details but same in essence.

"Wow. So Serena you caught Arcanine, Salamence and Mismagius on your journey. Those are pretty neat Pokemon." Grace says.

"Thanks mom. Ash hasn't done too shabbily himself." Serena replies.

"I see. But Serena tell me this dear how did you become such a strong trainer. You never used to like Pokemon Battling that much as a small child. Are you still interested in Pokemon performances?" Grace asks.

"Of course mom. I have practiced some new performance routines as well. But I have also come to really enjoy battling as well." Serena replies.

"Well as long as you are happy I have no problem. Shall we have a toast to celebrate your win today?" Grace says.

"Of course. So mom that's enough about us tell me what's happening here at KIP?" Serena asks as Grace gestures to the waiter for the champagne.

"Well things are as you left them. Nothing more nothing less." Grace replies.

"Oh that reminds me Grace do you remember Clemont?" Ash asks.

"Yeah. The spectacled genius Lumiose City Gym Leader. Why?" Grace replies.

"Oh nothing. While we were journeying he stopped at Shalour City. In fact he also has a girlfriend. The Shalour City Gym leader Korrina." Ash says.

"Well that's nice. But for me the star coupe will always be you two." Grace says while smiling. Ash and Serena blush upon hearing that.

"Alright a toast to you two. May you have a bright future." Grace says while raising her glass of champagne.

"Hear hear." Ash and Serena say as they join their glasses together for a toast.

 **(One hour Later)**

"Well Ash and Serena I leave you here. Enjoy." Grace says while giving them a wink.

"We will." Ash and Serena reply while turning around and walking to their dome.

As Grace is walking towards her guest house suddenly her phone vibrates and she checks it to find a message from Diantha. She open it. It says.

* * *

Grace please come to my Office tomorrow early morning at 7. Have certain urgent matters to discuss with you regarding Ash and Serena. It is quite serious so attendance is mandatory.

Regards

Diantha & Sycamore

* * *

'Serious? What can it possibly be that Diantha would call me at 7 in the morning. Better get some shut eye quickly.' Grace thinks to herself while walking away.


	40. Busted - II

**(Next morning in Diantha's Office)**

"I don't believe it. Serena and Ash didn't tell me anything about this." Grace says as Diantha has just finished telling Grace what Clemont had told her yesterday.

"You didn't think it was just a coincidence that they managed to get so strong in such a short amount of time. Besides from what Clemont told me yesterday Dragon Emperor strictly told the 3 of them not to reveal his involvement in their journey to anyone. Not even to their parents." Diantha replies.

"Is that true Clemont?" Grace asks Clemont who silently nods.

Grace is silently pondering over what she has heard and trying to digest the facts. Then she says "Alright. But I don't understand why are you investigating this Dragon Emperor as a criminal. If he was one then he would have already harmed Ash and Serena."

"You are right. But we are still investigating him as a potential threat. As a champion it is part of Diantha's duties to investigate and protect the Kalos region and it's trainers from possible threats. You see Grace there are several criminal organizations in the past like Team Galactic and Team Magma to name a few who have tried to take over several regions like the Sinnoh and Hoenn regions. Many a times these criminal organizations use such tactics to scout, train and brainwash promising trainers for their own uses. But I am not the right person to talk about it. Please welcome Mr. Looker from the International Police Force who has expertise in these matters." Cynthia says as a man in a brown jacket and suitcase in his hand enter.

"Pleasure to meet all of you. Now I have little time here. So let's get to it shall we." Looker says while sitting on a chair and starting his laptop.

"As soon as I got Cynthia's call yesterday I put all the resources I have at my disposal to investigate into this curious Dragon Emperor. First we tried to scan for any trainer by this name in the last 75 year. But the search revealed no results. This is conclusive proof that the name Dragon Emperor is in fact a false persona used to hide his true identity. This is characteristic of operatives who work in criminal organizations who hide their identity to carry out their work easily." Looker says before pausing.

"Well Dragon Emperor is quite a theatrical name so even I suspected as much. What else?" Diantha asks.

"Based on what you learnt from Clemont my group of support staff tracked the path that Ash, Serena, Clemont and this Dragon Emperor took throughout their journey. It seems that the Dragon Emperor was very keen on avoiding major roads, highways and cities for that matter because he didn't go near anyone. So finding any evidence on what this mysterious person looked like was a challenge. It seems he was determined to keep his involvement a secret at all costs. That is another characteristics of such criminal organizations who like to carry out their operation in secret to avoid attention from law organizations like the one I work for."

"Hmm. Now that you say it like that this Dragon Emperor character is getting more suspicious by the minute." Oak remarks.

"So we have no photographic evidence?" Diantha says in a little disappointed tone.

"Not even from Shalour City?" Clemont asks.

"Not even from there." Looker replies.

Diantha and Cynthia give a disappointed sigh.

"Now hold on to your horses for I have saved the best for last. This Dragon Emperor may be a pro at avoiding detection but I am no pushover as well. You see when we could not get any evidence the usual way me and my staff pulled out every trick in the book to find some evidence. Finally after 6 hours of searching and good luck they managed to get a picture of this elusive Dragon Emperor. You see it came from one of the many weather analyzing balloons that are scattered all over Kalos. They are equipped with video cameras to document unusual weather. It so happened that there was minor gust storm and the trio of Ash, Serena and Dragon Emperor were travelling through that area while the balloon was recording everything. In this video we managed to get a photo of this Dragon Emperor whoever he is." Looker says as he presses a button which reveals an image.

"That's him alright." Clemont says.

All the people in the room take a good long look at the elusive Dragon Emperor.

"Look at his eyes. So calm yet so fierce." Cynthia remarks.

"Indeed." Diantha says while inspecting the photo.

"After this breakthrough we ran a facial recognition on this photograph. You won't believe what we found." Looker says.

"What?" Everyone asks in unison.

"For the first time the facial scan failed to identify the person's identity. There is no record of a trainer with such a face in any of the regions we know till now." Looker replies.

"How can that be?" Diantha says in disbelief.

"I know. Beats me as well." Looker replies.

"Any explanations for this anomaly?" Cynthia asks.

"Well a few ideas did pop into my head. The first Plastic surgery which is unlikely because if it is in fact a plastic surgery then the work is flawless. Second the more likely one is that he works in a criminal organization who hacked into the databases and erased any data regarding this person and that is why the facial recognition has failed. I am afraid that's all I have. But if anything I get to know I will tell you." Looker says while closing the laptop.

"Thank you for your effort Looker. At least we managed to see what this Dragon Emperor looks like." Diantha says while shaking Looker's hand.

Looker is about to leave when his phone rings. He opens his phone to see what happens when he suddenly says "Of course. How could I forget. Listen here I the Psychological profiling of this Dragon Emperor based on the photo retrieved was just completed. Alright here we go. Subject in question is extremely calm, calculating and reserved. He is good at keeping secrets and doesn't like outside interference. There are also signs of a brilliant mind and a damaged personality but damaged due to what still remains a mystery."

"That's got to be the best description of Dragon Emperor that I can think of." Clemont remarks.

"Well. I have got to go. Now while I can't say whether he is a criminal or not champions be careful around him. There is more to him than what meets the eye." Looker says before leaving.

There is silence in the room for a minute. Finally Diantha breaks the silence "Augustine please go and bring Ash and Serena here. It is about time we questioned them as well."

Grace and Oak are not saying anything. Even Cynthia and Diantha are at a loss for words. Clemont is looking down at the floor thinking that he has help cover for a possible criminal.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

Ash and Serena walk in and wish everyone good morning. But nobody responds back.

"That was weird." Ash says to Serena as they both take a seat.

"Mom what's going on? Why is everyone so silent?" Serena asks Grace.

Grace is about to say something but gets cutoff when Diantha says "So Ash and Serena tell me. Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"Yeah. We slept like a log." They both reply in unison.

"Well Ash now that you have earned your 8 badges I want you to stay here in KIP and continue your training while staying here." Diantha says.

"Oh no. That's not possible we have to go right now as a matter of fact." Ash replies at which Diantha raises an eyebrow.

"What Ash means is that we will prefer training in the wild." Serena says.

"Are you sure will it be just the 2 of you or will Dragon Emperor be joining you as well?" Diantha asks.

Both Ash and Serena are shocked at what Diantha just said. They both wonder how did she know when suddenly the answer dawns upon them.

"Clemont what did you tell them?" Serena asks Clemont who is not making eye contact with any of them.

"It doesn't matter what he told us. What matters is that we know. Now tell us who is this Dragon Emperor and why are you training with him?" Cynthia asks.

"I am afraid that we are not at liberty to say. We promised him and unlike some people we keep the promises we make." Ash says while looking at Clemont.

"Is it just me or have these 2 gone mad. They have been travelling round with a person who is most likely a criminal just waiting to lure them into a trap and brainwash them and they are defending him." Cynthia says.

"Now now. Cynthia we still have no hard evidence that this Dragon Emperor whoever he is, is a criminal or not. Let's not jump to any hasty conclusions." Oak says.

"Agreed but for their safety Ash and Serena will stay in KIP and continue their training here." Diantha says.

"But we have to go to him now. He is waiting for us." Serena says.

"I am afraid this time I am putting the foot down." Grace says indicating to Serena that she agrees with Diantha.

"But mom." Serena protests.

"Oh no you don't. You are my only child. Your father left us both forever when you were 2 years old. Now you travel with a complete stranger without even telling your mother about it! You could have been kidnapped or for that matter anything could have happened to you. I am also disappointed in Ash for having such a poor sense of judgement." Grace says in a worried tone.

"But." Ash is about to protest when suddenly Serena stops him.

"It's no use Ash. Whatever we say isn't going to change their minds." she says.

"Good to see that you came to that conclusion quickly." Diantha says.

"Very well then. We shall do as you ask Diantha. But I warn you. He will come looking for us. Just don't tell us we didn't warn you before." Ash says while getting up.

"I will keep that in mind. Till I can ensure your safety you will be accompanied by bodyguards at all times." Diantha says.

"We don't need protection. We are more than capable of handling ourselves." Serena replies in an irritated tone.

"I know. This is for our piece of mind to ensure your safety. To prevent events like you sneaking off." Diantha says.

"You don't trust us?" Ash says.

"Well you very conveniently lied about travelling with another person who in all possibilities may be a criminal. You lied without any problem to your mother's face. So I am sure you will forgive us if we don't trust you yet. You may go now." Diantha says.

Ash and Serena sigh and then leave only to be joined by their bodyguards when they leave Diantha's office.

"This is going to be bad." Serena says.

"Yup. I hope nothing extreme happens when he comes looking for us." Ash says.

"Well we tried." Serena says as they walk back to their dorms.

 **(2 Days Later)**

In the forest where Ash and Serena parted ways with Dragon Emperor.

"This is strange. They should have been here by now. What's taking the 2 of them so long?" Dragon Emperor says to himself.

"What if something happened to them. Better go check it out." Dragon Emperor tossing Aerodactyl's Poke-ball.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

Dragon Emperor lands on top of Prism tower. He returns Aerodactyl. Then opens the hatch and goes down the stairs.

 **(5 Minutes Later)**

"Clemont. You have a visitor. He says he knows you and wants to talk with you." Bonnie says as she bursts into Clemont's room.

"Who is it Bonnie?" Clemont asks.

"I don't know. But he didn't tell me. But he is really sweet." Bonnie says.

"OK. I am coming." Clemont says as he follows Bonnie.

Upon reaching the room he gets stunned as he sees Dragon Emperor calmly sitting on a chair and sipping a cup of tea which Bonnie made for him. At first Clemont tries to back away slowly but Dragon Emperor without opening his eyes says "Just because my eyes are closed Clemont doesn't mean I can't hear you enter the room. Now where are your manners. You cute little sister is very nice. She was kind enough to whip me up this lovely pot of tea. Now why don't you join me for a cup as well."

Clemont is shaking with fear but seeing Bonnie looking at him in a curious way he sits down hesitantly and grabs a cup as well.

"So Clemont how have you been since I set you up with your girlfriend Korrina in the Shalour City gym." Dragon Emperor asks.

Clemont turns a shade red upon hearing that while Bonnie's jaw is hanging at what she just heard.

"Clemont has a girlfriend! No way he couldn't get one unless I find him one. You make a nice joke sir." Bonnie says while giving a laugh.

Dragon Emperor gives a chuckle and says "I see you haven't told her yet. Is Korrina not good enough to be introduced to Bonnie." before taking another sip of his tea.

Clemont flushes red and Bonnie looks at him in disbelief and shouts "OMG you are blushing. You really do have a girlfriend. I don't believe it. I have to tell dad." at the top of her voice.

"Well while I would love telling you stories of your brother while he was travelling with Ash and Serena when I met the 3 why don't you leave us alone for some time. We need to talk something. Now run off to your father and tell him that Clemont has got himself a girlfriend. Then the 2 of you can tease Clemont together." Dragon Emperor says while giving Bonnie a wink.

"That's excellent." Bonnie says while running off and Clemont is shaking in fear at the prospect of being teased by Bonnie and his father combined about Korrina.

"You have a very nice sister. But anyway coming back to my purpose of visit. I told Ash and Serena to come meet me as soon as they wrapped everything up in KIP and Lumiose City and come back to resume their training. But it has been 2 days since they left. Do you have any idea what happened to them?" Dragon Emperor asks.

Clemont starts shaking at the prospect of giving another confession which he doesn't want to give. Dragon Emperor however notices Clemont's reaction and says "Alright tell me what did you do? I can see from the way you are shaking something happened. Tell me what happened now." in a more serious and firm tone.

"Well the thing is that." Clemont says as he starts to explain to Dragon Emperor what happened 2 days earlier. Dragon Emperor listens in silence.

After Clemont finishes talking Dragon Emperor says "I see. Well this is exactly what I as hoping to avoid but I suppose it was bound to happen at some point of time. Now I suppose I will have to go get them myself."

"But how will you get in their. Ever since this has happened security has been tightened tenfold. Even the elite four are present in the campus. Plus Ash and Serena are accompanied by a retinue of bodyguards all the time." Clemont says.

"I see. In that case Clemont would you mind doing me a favor?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"What favor. Diantha is already quite unhappy with me. Please don't make me do something which will make her more disappointed at me." Clemont says.

"Relax. Nothing like that. Here is what you need to do." Dragon Emperor says as he tell Clemont on what he is supposed to do.


	41. Master vs Champion

**(Next Day in Diantha's Office)**

"So this Dragon Emperor is requesting an audience with me so that he can persuade me to let Ash and Serena go with him. I must say he does have some balls. Tell him I agree. He can come in 1 hour." Diantha replies to Clemont who bows his head and leaves.

"You are inviting him here? Why?" Cynthia asks.

"Of course I am. When we get to meet him face to face then we can really get a good measure of what we are up against." Diantha replies.

"What if he decides to cause trouble?" Oak asks.

"Don't worry we shall take all the necessary precautions." Diantha says.

 **(One hour Later)**

"Welcome to KIP Mr. Dragon Emperor." Diantha says as Dragon Emperor enter while being escorted by her elite four.

"Why thank you. Tell me can this expensive institution spare a cup of tea. I could go for one." Dragon Emperor replies while taking a seat and closing his eyes.

Diantha and the others are taken aback for a moment at this request. But then Diantha presses a button on her pager. Within a few moments her assistant comes in who leaves after getting the request.

"You tea is on the way. Now tell me who you are and what business do you have with Ash and Serena?" Diantha says.

"I am sure from what you learned from that Looker fellow that there hasn't been a trainer having my face in all the region known so I am quite sure even if I was to tell you who I am that it would make any difference. All you need to know is that I am a Pokemon master." Dragon Emperor replies.

Suddenly Kathy enters with a tray of tea.

"Thank you." Dragon Emperor replies while helping himself to a cup. He takes a sip then says "Good tea. Why don't all of you take a cup as well. We can at least be civilized about this." while lifting a cup and saucer and offering it to Diantha. Diantha is confused for a moment but decides to accept it nonetheless. Everyone takes except Cynthia who is still not buying Dragon Emperor's outlook.

"Tell me who you really are. You are not a Pokemon Master. That is a fictional concept. Who are you?" Cynthia says.

Dragon Emperor on hearing that however does nothing but gives a smile to the surprise of all. He then puts down his cup and lifts the pot of tea. He starts pouring tea into the cup which Cynthia did not take. Soon the cup gets full to the brim but he doesn't stop pouring. Soon all the tea is getting wasted. Everyone is watching in silence thinking has this man gone crazy.

Unable to take it Cynthia finally breaks her silence. She says "Stop you are wasting the tea." while yanking the pot out of Dragon Emperor's hand.

"Are you crazy. Why are you wasting the tea?" Sycamore shouts.

Dragon Emperor gives a chuckle then says "Your minds are just like that teacup. Full to the brim with your preformed notions and conceptions about me. So anything I attempt to tell you is just like tea which was being wasted. To understand and judge any situation one must learn to rid himself of all biases and notions. For it is you that understands nothing since there is still so much you don't know. For starters being a Pokemon Master has got nothing to do catching all Pokemon."

Everyone in the room gets shocked at hearing that. Nobody says anything for a moment but then Diantha recomposes herself and says "Enough with the charlatan thoughts. You are not going to sway us with some wisdom and innuendo. Why do you want Ash and Serena to go with you." Diantha asks in a threatening tone.

"Indeed. Why should we let 2 innocent children be lured by a criminal like you." Cynthia says.

Dragon Emperor suddenly opens his eyes and flashes them in a warning way making both champions gulp and flinch. Then he relaxes his expression and closes his eyes and says "Just because I like to keep private matters to myself doesn't make me a criminal. I hope you remember that for your sakes. What I intend to do with Ash and Serena is bound by the confidentiality between the sacred bond of trust between a master and his apprentices. But no more questions." while getting up.

"One way or another I am taking them with me. Now we can do this the easy way or the civilized way. The easy way is I just take Ash and Serena with me without any of you being able to do anything about that or the civilized way is that I challenge you, Diantha to a battle. The winner gets to keep Ash and Serena wherever he wants." Dragon Emperor says in a firm tone.

"Interesting. I accept your challenge." Diantha says to the shock of everyone.

"But why are you doing this?" Cynthia says in a frantic voice.

"Because if we are afraid of him then this sends out the message that any one can intimidate a champion of a region and get away with it. I will not let that happen." Diantha replies.

"But." Cynthia begins to protest when Diantha cuts her off.

"You must trust in me my friend. Beside I don't plan on losing." Diantha says in a reassuring tone.

"Very well then that is settled. It will be a One on One match in 2 hours time. Here I will even show you what Pokemon I shall be using." Dragon Emperor says while releasing Raichu from it's Poke-ball.

"If you will be using your Raichu then I shall be using Gardevoir." Diantha says while tossing her Poke-ball.

Dragon Emperor inspects the Gardevoir for a moment. Then says "It's not raised very well." before leaving the room.

Diantha ignores the comment and turns to her elite four and says "Stay with him. Take him to common room 12. Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him."

All of them nod and leave.

"Augustine prepare the stadium for our exhibition battle. Oak inform Ash, Serena and Grace about what happened." Diantha says.

"Right. But be careful Diantha. He must be strong alright. Just don't underestimate him OK." Sycamore says before leaving with Oak.

"I won't." Diantha replies.

 **(15 Minutes Later)**

"What!" Ash and Serena shout in unison.

"That's right. The winner of the battle gets to decide what happens to you 2." Oak says.

"Well that's good. Finally we can leave. Better pack our bags Ash for the road." Serena says to Oak and Grace's surprise.

"Right." Ash says while turning to leave in order to pack their bags.

"Wait a minute. You have already assumed that Diantha will lose. You don't have any confidence in her capabilities as a trainer? She is one of the best Champions so far." Oak says.

"Oh Prof. we haven't assumed she will lose. We know she will." they both say while shutting the door of the bedroom in order to pack their bags.

Both Grace and Oak are stunned at this reply. Grace becomes worried that what they are saying will come true. She turns Oak and says "Prof. before the battle begins I would like to meet and talk with this Dragon Emperor."

"Grace for all we know. It could be dangerous. I think you should reconsider." Oak says.

"Prof. I have just one child. Should Diantha lose I want to ensure that my baby girl and the boy of her dreams are safe." Grace says fiercely.

Oak looks at the fierceness in her eyes and realizes that there is no refusing her.

"Very well. Come with me." Oak says.

"Thank you Prof. It means a lot to me." Grace says while following suit.

 **(20 Minutes Later in one of the Common Rooms)**

"Dragon Emperor it seems you have a visitor." Malva says.

"Of course. Please send him or her in. A nice place to cool my heels, good food and having the elite four as my bodyguards. How can I refuse?" Dragon Emperor says while chuckling.

Malva gets irritated at this comment. She goes out. Sends Grace in and turns to Seibold and says "I have had enough smart ass comments from that Dragon Emperor. I am going for a coffee. You 3 keep watch till I come back."

"I see. So you must be the famous Grace Yvonne. Serena's mother. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please take a cup of tea." Dragon Emperor says while gesturing to a seat in front of him.

"U mm. Thank you. How did you know I am Serena's mother?" Grace asks while sitting down.

'Your daughter has your eyes. Plus I recognize where Serena gets her tendency to 'Go for Broke' from." Dragon Emperor says.

"Well the thing is that. I wanted to ask you that " Grace says while being cut off by Dragon Emperor.

"what do I want to do with Ash and Serena? Am I right?" Dragon Emperor says while completing Grace's question or her.

"Yes you are. To be honest I don't think you are going to hurt my baby girl or anything. If you had to hurt them you could have done that by now already but you didn't. But you see she is my only daughter and I worry about her. For that matter I worry about Ash as well. He is like my son from another mother. I know they have gotten stronger under your tutelage and I am happy but I still worry for them. What do you intend on doing with them?" Grace asks.

Suddenly Dragon Emperor gets up and walks around the room. After a few moments he says "Your daughter and Ash are very special. I can't tell you right now what I am planning to do with them because the notion you will understand it is ridiculous. But I will tell you this that your daughter and Ash are destined for greatness. Right now the time is not right to reveal what is my intention behind training them but I will ask you to keep your faith in me. I give you my word that they will be safe with me. Nothing will happen to them."

Grace is still unconvinced so she asks "Will they be in any danger?"

"As long as I am present. Nothing bad can befall them. I give you my word." Dragon Emperor says.

"Well thank you. I will take a chance on you just like Ash and Serena did when you met them. Please don't let me down." Grace says.

"I won't." Dragon Emperor says before giving a chuckle.

"I am sorry did I say something funny?" Grace asks in a confused tone.

"No no. Nothing like that. It's just that all these years seeing the bond that parent and child share still amazes me and gives me joy. The bond is so simple at the same time infinitely complex. So complex that it transcends any explanation we can provide it. You may go Mrs. Yvonne. Don't worry nothing will happen to them. I swear it." Dragon Emperor says.

"Thank you." Grace says while going out of the room.

 **(1 Hour Later)**

"Welcome everyone to KIP on this fine afternoon. Today we get to see an exhibition one on one battle between our Champion Diantha and challenger Dragon Emperor." Announcer says.

The crowd cheers on Diantha's name while a lot of Booing is heard for Dragon Emperor. Diantha waves her hands while Dragon Emperor is calmly standing with his eyes closed.

"Bring out your Pokemon." Referee says.

"Gardevoir fight for me." Diantha says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Raichu come on out." Dragon Emperor says while tossing his Poke-ball.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Gardevoir a Dominant Fairy and Psychic type and a Recessive Grass and Ghost type." Serena says while analyzing a match up.

"Correct. Dragon Emperor is using Raichu a dominant Electric and Recessive Psychic type." Ash replies.

All the Prof. in the box are confused at this strange system of Pokemon type classification.

"Ash what do you mean by Raichu is a Dominant Electric type and Recessive Psychic type? What is this weird terminology you are using?" Oak asks.

"Never mind that Prof. There is no time to explain that. For now let's focus on the match shall we." Serena says.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"Since I am a champion and you are have come to KIP for the first time you have the first move." Diantha says while gesturing to Dragon Emperor.

Dragon Emperor opens his eyes. He smiles and says "Raichu let start of with a small thunderbolt."

"Alright use Psychic to stop it. Then send it back with Magical Leaf." Diantha counters.

Soon Raichu is pelted by Magical Leaf and Thunderbolt combination.

"How do you like that?" Diantha says with a tone of confidence. Dragon Emperor however doesn't react.

"Electroball. Now." He commands.

Diantha however gives a nod and Gardevoir effortlessly dodges the attack.

"My turn. Shadow ball rapid fire." Diantha commands.

"Knock them back with Iron tail." Dragon Emperor commands.

"In that case use Psychic to lift it up and then slam it into the wall." Diantha commands.

Dragon Emperor however doesn't react as he watches Raichu get slammed into the wall.

"Use a normal Quick Attack Raichu." Dragon Emperor says.

Gardevoir dodges effortlessly despite Diantha not giving any verbal commands.

'Interesting.' Dragon Emperor thinks to himself.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Looks like we had nothing to worry about in the first place." Sycamore says.

"See that Ash and Serena. That is the power of a champion. You should place your trust in us instead of some charlatan who has no identity or qualification." Cynthia says with a triumphant tone.

'We shall see. After all the battle hasn't started till now." Serena replies.

Everyone gets confused.

"What do you mean? The battle has started already. Diantha has been dominating it so far." Seibold says.

"Oh that. That was just playing. Dragon Emperor is simply toying with that Gardevoir for the moment the way a Persian toys with it's food before eating it. I assure you once he gets serious I will give at most a minute till Gardevoir has been knocked out." Ash says.

"Well Gardevoir can Mega Evolve. So maybe a minute and a half." Serena says while turning to Ash.

"I don't so. Diantha may be too shaken up to even use Mega Evolution in the first place." Ash replies.

"Well it could go both ways." Serena says while turning to face the other who are gaping at them in disbelief.

"That's a load of rubbish. Diantha will win without any problem." Wikstrom says in an angry tone.

"We shall see. After all only time will tell who will win and who will lose." Serena says while turning to face the match.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"Well what's wrong? I thought my Gardevoir wasn't raised very well. Guess you are all talk and no show." Diantha says while Raichu is still using Quick Attack and Gardevoir is still dodging it.

"Careful Champion. Pride comes before the fall. Now Raichu use a real Quick Attack followed by 3 Iron tail at 20% power. I don't want that Gardevoir knocked out so soon." Dragon Emperor says while snapping his fingers.

Upon hearing the snap Raichu disappears to the confusion of Gardevoir to appear behind it in the next instant. Before Diantha can say anything it is sent flying after taking 3 Iron Tails in a row.

Diantha is speechless at what just happened. There is complete silence in the stands.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"What the hell just happened." Everyone shout in disbelief except Ash, Serena, Clemont, Grace and Oak.

"It seems Dragon Emperor was toying with Diantha the whole time after all." Oak remarks.

"That's actually nothing at all. The real performance is about to begin. I warned all of you 2 days ago. But you didn't listen. Don't blame us later." Ash says while calmly watching Gardevoir struggle to stand up.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

Diantha watches her Gardevoir struggle to get up. Then she looks at Dragon Emperor who is calmly standing there.

'He was just playing with me all this while. I have never seen such speed and power before. What have I gotten myself into?' Diantha thinks to herself when suddenly she is interrupted by the Dragon Emperor's voice.

"So tell me champion. Now that you have seen a glimpse of what my Raichu can do are you afraid? Will you forfeit? But then I thought you were going to win this battle. In that case show me what you have got." Dragon Emperor says.

"Gardevoir use Psychic followed by Magical Leaf." Diantha commands.

"Agility." Dragon Emperor commands.

Diantha clenches her fist in frustration as none of her attacks meet their mark.

"You won't stand a chance on beating me without Mega Evolution you know." Dragon Emperor says.

"Fine then. Gardevoir Mega Evolve." Diantha says while holding her keystone. After the Evolution is complete she says "Now Shadow Ball rapid fire. Let's go."

"Dodge it." Dragon Emperor replies.

After the attack misses she once again thinks to herself 'None of my attacks are working. In that case time to use my most prized strategy.'

She nods her head and then Gardevoir teleports away.

"I see. Time to finish this. Raichu keep Electroball 35% percent power at the ready." Dragon Emperor says.

For a short period of time no one says anything. Then suddenly Dragon Emperor says "Sent it there." while pointing to a place on the battlefield. Raichu launches the attack in that direction. Suddenly out of nowhere Gardevoir appears with a Moon Blast ready in it's hands but gets hit by the approaching Electroball causing an explosion sending it flying. Diantha is shocked at what happened. She looks at Dragon Emperor who returns a smirk. She gets irritated then shouts "Again".

Dragon Emperor's Raichu once again keeps an Electroball ready. "There." Dragon Emperor says while pointing to a different location on the field. Diantha smirks on hearing that but her expression turns to pure horror when she hears Dragon Emperor order a third Electroball this time straight up in the sky.

"But how?" She shouts in disbelief as the 3rd Electroball meets its marks and Gardevoir gets slammed onto the ground below. On seeing that Diantha drops to her knees with an expression of hopelessness written on it.

 **(In the VIP Stands)**

"I was afraid of this." Ash says.

"Poor Diantha. What possessed her to challenge him in the first place." Serena says.

"Well we can't do anything about that now." Ash says.

Everyone else is watching in pin drop silence at Diantha's condition.

"Tell me all this is a nightmare. Please" Cynthia says with desperation and disbelief abundant in her tone.

"It is a nightmare. To think there exist such powerful trainers who can actually make a champion of region look like a substandard trainer is overwhelming." Sycamore replies.

"Well I am not staying here when Diantha needs our support down there." Seibold says while getting up and running though the door. Soon everyone follows suit. Ash and Serena get their bag packs and they go down as well.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

Gardevoir gets up but it is apparent that there is no energy left in it. Diantha looks up at Dragon Emperor while she is on her knees. He glances a look at Gardevoir then open a fist to show 5 fingers. Diantha gets confused. Slowly she realizes that the 5 finger are actually a count down as Dragon Emperor one by one closes his fingers. The moment he closes his last finger Gardevoir comes back into it's original form and falls on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Gardevoir is unable to battle. Raichu wins. The match goes to the challenger Dragon Emperor." Referee says.

Diantha does absolutely nothing. She doesn't even cry because she doesn't have the strength to do so. Her self confidence has been completely shattered. For she has never been defeated in such a humiliating way. Dragon Emperor comes walking towards her.

"You didn't think you could actually win against me did you. Actually I know this may not be the best time to say this. It wouldn't have mattered if even all the other champions from the other regions were fighting with you. The result would still be the same. But still you fought well. You deserve your title of champion."

Seibold comes running followed by everyone else to comfort Diantha. Dragon Emperor turns to Ash and Serena.

"Say your goodbyes. For we are leaving right now." He says.

"Right." Ash and Serena says as they go away to hug Grace before they leave.

As the 3 are walking away slowly Diantha calls out to Dragon Emperor "How did you do it?" to the puzzlement of all.

"How did I do what?" Dragon Emperor asks as he turns around.

"Predict where Gardevoir was going after using Teleportation." Diantha asks.

Dragon Emperor smiles then he says "I can say without hesitation that Meson would be proud of his apprentice."

"You know my mentor's name!" Diantha asks in puzzlement.

Dragon Emperor chuckles and says "Who do you think taught him the art of giving commands without verbal communication using facial expression in the first place?"

Everyone gets shocked at this revelation including Ash and Serena.

"Till we meet again Lady Diantha." Dragon Emperor says while smiling, turning around and walking away.


	42. Plan of Action

**(2 Days later in KIP Professor's common room)**

Prof. Oak, Rowan and Juniper are sitting on the sofas drinking coffee. No one is speaking anything. Not much has been spoken by anyone in the campus since the events of 2 days ago.

"I still can't believe Diantha lost that badly." Rowan says.

"Can we please talk about something else. Every time we talk about it I end up remembering Diantha's expression after she lost. The hopelessness, desperation. It gives me a headache." Juniper says.

"True. Who knew that there would actually exist a trainer like that who could demolish a champion's prized Pokemon the way he did." Oak remarks.

"Indeed. Poor Diantha is still recovering from that nightmarish experience of being thoroughly humiliated in front of all of Kalos on the camera." Rowan says.

Suddenly Sycamore runs in and says "Quick everyone. Diantha has been released from the psychiatric ward just now." before running off again.

Upon hearing that the remaining Prof. drop what they are doing and follow Sycamore.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

Diantha is sitting with her friend Cynthia drinking some water after a hearty meal. The prof. come running into the room.

"Diantha how are you?" Sycamore asks.

"Good Augustine. Thank you." Diantha replies.

"What did the doctors say?" Oak asks Seibold.

"No injury or trauma. Just a case of shattered nerves and self confidence. A couple of day's rest and she will be right as rain." Seibold replies.

"That's good to know." Juniper says as all the professors breathe a sigh of relief.

Suddenly Steven, Alder, Lance and Drake come through the door.

"Steven, Alder, Lance and Drake! What are you doing here all the way from the Hoeen, Unova, Kanto and Orange Islands?" Diantha says with a surprise.

"They came as soon as they heard what happened to you. They are here to support you." Cynthia says with a smile.

Diantha smiles on hearing that then she turns to them and says "Thank you. For being here for my sakes. I am sorry I let all you down. I was just trying to show how a champion protects the trainers and region. Instead I smeared mud on the title of being a champion."

"No. No. Please don't say that. You tried your best and that's what matters." Alder replies.

"He's right. Don't beat yourself up. Everyone loses once in a while. Take your mind of it. It will help you recover faster." Cynthia say while putting a reassuring hand on Diantha's shoulder.

"Yeah but on a more serious thought. She wasn't just beaten. Was she? Some might even say that she was annihilated." Lance says while adorning a serious expression as if he was doing some deep thinking.

"Lance. We don't need this rubbish right now. She has just recovered from the battle." Cynthia snaps with an angry tone.

"No Lance is right. I wasn't just beaten. I was annihilated. To tell the truth we still need to deal with this Dragon Emperor whoever he is. We didn't get a clear answer on what his intentions were or who he is as a matter of fact when he was here. I am a little worried for Ash and Serena." Diantha says while getting up with a more determined face.

Upon hearing that everyone falls silent.

"To tell the truth I am still shocked to know that my master Meson who taught me the technique of communicating with my Pokemon by using facial expression was actually taught to him by that Dragon Emperor." Diantha remarks.

"Yes no wonder he could predict where your Gardevoir was going even when you feinted in the location where he sent his second Electroball. You were actually using his own technique against him." Sycamore remarks.

"Not only that I am sure if all the champion here fought him together even then he would win hands down." Diantha says.

"How do you know that?" Lance asks in a flabbergasted tone.

"Because he told me before Seibold, Cynthia and the others came down. I still hear it when I close my eyes. The seriousness in the voice. He wasn't bluffing." Diantha replies.

"Indeed. I agree. He didn't even break a sweat while defeating Diantha's Gardevoir. With that kind of speed and power. I don't think even all the champions combined can beat him." Rowan remarks.

"But I don't understand. From what we were told by the International Police Agency there is no record of a trainer with that face in the past 50 years. Which means he has not once competed in any of the league conferences. How does a trainer like that become this strong that he can take down a champion with such ease?" Lance says.

"All good questions Lance. Ones which we hope time will soon answer." Oak replies.

Suddenly Charles Goodshow enters the room.

"Prof. Goodshow. How are you?" Cynthia asks.

"Good. Good. How are you Diantha?" He asks.

"I am fine thank you. I assume you are here regarding that what happened between me and that Dragon Emperor as well." Diantha asks.

"Indeed. The Pokemon League committee is very distressed after what happened 2 days ago. The brutal crushing of the Diantha in her match has raised several questions one of which is regarding whether the current champions are even fit to represent their regions. Moreover this Dragon Emperor character has now come under the eye scanner of the International Police Agency as well. They have launched a formal investigation and are putting all their resources into it." Goodshow replies.

"Not to mention the press is not showing Diantha any mercy despite her best efforts at the battle." Alder remarks in a serious and sad tone.

On hearing this Diantha becomes sad. She says "I am sorry Mr. Goodshow. I smeared mud on the title of champion. I request you to take it away from me to ensure nobody throws mud at the other champions."

"You can't be serious!" Everyone in the room shouts in unison.

"You lost one match. Everyone looses sometimes. It's all a part of battling. In fact if you resign now then it will send a message that the champions are weak. The media is having a field day as it is. Please don't give them another reason to have a blast." Steven says.

"Steven is right. You of all people should know to get back up on your field after taking a fall. As President of Pokemon League I refuse to accept your resignation." Goodshow says.

Diantha however is not convinced. Then suddenly Gardevoir comes out of it's Poke-ball. It takes Diantha's hand.

"What is it Gardevoir?" Diantha asks in a concerned tone.

Everyone stands in silence as Diantha and Gardevoir talk with each other with Diantha asking questions and nodding while Gardevoir simply talks.

"I see." Diantha says after a while.

"What is it Diantha? What did Gardevoir want?" Cynthia says.

"Gardevoir wants me to train hard and again challenge Dragon Emperor to a match." Diantha says.

Everyone gets shocked for a moment. But then they all give a smile when they see Diantha smiling.

"I will do it." Diantha says with tone of optimism and confidence.

"That's more like the Diantha we know. Good to see you came back so soon." Cynthia says.

Suddenly the window gets blown open by a gust of air.

"I'll go and close it." Cynthia says as she starts walking to the window when suddenly a Fletchling flies in. It circles in the air a few times. Then it drops a paper in Diantha's hand before leaving via the window. Everyone exchanges confused glances at one another since everyone is confused at what just happened. Diantha opens the folded piece of paper and starts to read it.

* * *

Good to see that you are back to normal. I will be happy to accept your challenge but I will not accept it unless the other champions also fight by your side for I wish to test their mettle as well. There will come a time in the future when I will need the champions strong and tough. Tell everyone to train hard. Ash and Serena say hi.

However a warning. Next time you shall be facing my true power. Don't tell me I didn't warn you before. You are at liberty to choose the time, place and date of the match whenever you feel ready.

Regards

D.E.

* * *

Everyone gets shocked on hearing that. Lance runs out onto the balcony. He surveys the surrounding to find nothing out of the ordinary. After a while he comes back.

"Well?" Cynthia asks.

"It seems he or someone who works for him already fled before anyone could see them." Lance says.

"I see perhaps you can look at the CCTV cameras?" Diantha suggests.

"That you don't need to tell me but I don't think we will find anything in it. Someone this good that he can sneak up on me can avoid security cameras without any problems." Lance says.

"But what do we do now? It seems that Dragon Emperor has challenged all of us to a 1 on 6 battle." Alder says.

"There is nothing to do about it. We shall accept this challenge, show him what happens when he thinks he can take 6 champions together and take back our lost pride." Cynthia says.

"Interesting idea. But I would advise at least a month or 2 of training before fighting him. He is extremely powerful. Your co-ordination and ability to divide the job of attack and defense will be crucial in this battle." Oak says.

"One problem. The Kalos League is in one month's time. I will be busy in preparations for it." Diantha says.

"Actually that won't be happening. Ever since your match the Pokemon League committee has determined that no league shall take place for the next 6 months until we can get a grip on the situation. After all not everyday is a champion beaten the way Diantha was 2 days ago. Now that an open challenge has come it is clear what is the next course of action to be taken. Go and train. Come back and take back your lost pride champions. Show that Dragon Emperor what happens to those who challenge the Pokemon League like this. Show him the fiery spirit and skill that a champion has." Goodshow says with a fierce tone.

All the champions nod their head in unison.

"Since everyone is here. Why not train in KIP?" Diantha says.

"I was thinking the same." Cynthia replies.

"But what about the Dragon Emperor?" Sycamore asks.

"You leave that to Looker and the International Police Agency and my G-Men. We shall get to the bottom of this one way or the other." Lance says.

"Sound like a plan." Alder says.

"In that case let's get busy shall we." Diantha asks.

"Yes." Everyone in the room says in unison.

 **(Meanwhile in the Hoenn Region)**

"Alright. Set up camp here Ash and Serena. We resume training tomorrow." Dragon Emperor says as he comes to a halt in front of a remote bamboo forest.

"Right." They both say in unison.

After camp is set up both Ash and Serena join Dragon Emperor for their daily routine of 1 hour meditation in the evening.

After struggling through it both Ash and Serena breath a sigh of relief when the hour is open.

"Now go make dinner." Dragon Emperor says.

"Isn't it early for a dinner? We generally cook dinner at least an hour and half later." Serena says.

"Just do what I tell you. We will have an early dinner because I have some training for you in the night." Dragon Emperor says without giving a reaction.

They both nod and go into the tent to start cooking their meal for dinner.

"I still don't get while he makes us sit still for an hour at night everyday." Ash says to Serena while chopping vegetables.

"Because meditation helps you focus your powers of concentration and see things in ways you otherwise cannot. But you will realize the importance of meditation after you are done with tonight's training. Now continue with your cooking." Dragon Emperor says while coming into the tent.

 **(After Dinner)**

"Dragon Emperor what are we doing inside this bamboo forest in the middle of the night?" Ash asks.

"We are here to sharpen your sense of focus and perception. In a Pokemon battle the ability to perceive where the attack will come from can be a deciding factor between victory and defeat. Now here is what you will do. You will stand here in the dark next to the bonfire which we are going to light. From one of these Bamboo trees a little bamboo cylinder which is tied with a rope will swing down without warning. You must perceive where the cylinder is going to swing from and stop it with your index finger only. Remember you must remember to focus your energy into your index finger otherwise you will get hurt when you try to stop it. Here I will demonstrate." Dragon Emperor says while walking.

He stops then turns around to face Ash and Serena. Then he closes his eyes and waits. Suddenly without warning one of the knockout bamboo cylinders comes down from the right. Ash and Serena are about to shout to tell him to watch out but the Dragon Emperor simply turns around to face the cylinder and stops it with his left index finger.

"That was amazing! How did you see where it was coming from?" Serena asks.

"Remember what I told you. Your eyes can fool you. T didn't see I heard." Dragon Emperor replies.

Upon seeing Ash and Serena's puzzled face he says "I patiently waited for the faint sound of the bamboo cylinder when it was swing down towards me and stopped it."

"But you were just standing there with your eyes closed! How did you figure out exactly where it was despite not being able to see? Hearing it should give you a sense of direction of trajectory but how did you get the accurate trajectory of the moving cylinder by doing nothing" Ash asks.

"Being still while standing and doing nothing are 2 very different things. Throughout the universe there is a certain flow to the energy of things. If one train his senses well enough then he can see the path of flow of the energy. Why do you think I have been asking you 2 to meditate for the past month despite both of you thinking it is a waste of time." Dragon Emperor says.

"Well we may not like meditating but we do try." Serena says.

"I know and i respect the effort. From now one you will meditate better in order to better focus your senses. Now Ash time for your turn." Dragon Emperor.

"OK." Ash replies in a nervous manner unsure of what to do.

"Now first take a deep breath. Then calm your mind. Listen for the faint rustling of the bamboo leaves due to wind or the song of bug Pokemon in the night. Just give a smile to indicate when you are ready." Dragon Emperor says. Ash soon gives a smile.

"Then any moment one of those things will swing down to hit you. If you are concentrating well enough you shall be able to see it's trajectory in the mind. Don't hesitate once you see it to stop it. Also don't forget to focus your energy into your index fingertip to stop the cylinder. Give another smile to indicate when you are ready." Dragon Emperor says. Ash immediately gives a smile. Dragon Emperor knows that Ash is not yet concentrating completely.

"This will be hilarious." He says with a smirk.

"Oh no." Serena murmurs as she realizes Ash is going to get pummeled by the bamboo cylinders tonight.


	43. The Z Decision

**(Next Morning)**

"Alright. Ash and Serena. I have been thinking about it and now I think the time is right to take the next step of your training." Dragon Emperor says.

"Alright what is that?" Ash asks in an excited manner.

"You both have done excellent jobs when it comes to your Mega Delphox and Lucario. Now it is time for some more mega stones." Dragon Emperor says before opening his bag and bringing out 3 pendants.

"Which Mega stones are these?" Serena asks.

"The two on the left are a Salamencite and Arcanite for your Salamence and Arcanine respectively. The one on the right is a Sceptilite for Ash's Sceptile." Dragon Emperor says.

"Cool." Serena says as she takes her 2 pendants.

"But why does Serena get 2 and I get only 1?" Ash says in a pouting tone while taking his.

"Because you already have a Mega stone which you received from the initiation ceremony." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Oh that one? It's rubbish. It doesn't go with any known Pokemon." Ash says.

Dragon Emperor chuckles upon hearing it.

"What's so funny?" Ash asks upon seeing Dragon Emperor amused.

"The thing that is funny is what you call rubbish is actually the most rare and one of the most strongest Mega Stones possible. I am surpised you didn;t question me regarding this Mega Stone earlier?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"How would I know that you can recognize this mega stone? I can't read minds." Ash replies.

"I see. Then let me jog your memory. Do you remember the day you fell into the fountain in Santalune City?" Dragon Emperor says.

"I do. What about it?" Ash asks.

"Do you remember what I said after the phrase 'Mega Evolution is not something a kid should play with.'.If you do then tell me." Dragon Emperor asks.

"That's easy. You said "Especially that Mega Stone." Ash replies. Suddenly he realizes that Dragon Emperor had hinted that he knew which Mega Stone is this all that time ago.

"I see. I guess you didn't pick up on my little hint. But no matter. In a way it is good that you didn't. Here I have something else for you two as well." Dragon Emperor says while pulling his bag and opening it again.

"What is it?" Serena asks.

"Z rings." Dragon Emperor replies as he hands both Ash and Serena a Z ring which they put on their wrist like a watch.

"Cool. The sensation where it touches the skin is so cool and soothing." Serena says while admiring the ring.

"Yes indeed. The ring is made from special ore which is almost exclusive to the Alola region. It has special properties. Properties which you shall study one of these days." Dragon Emperor replies.

"So now we can use Z moves. That's cool. I want an Electrium Z and do Gigavolt Havoc with Pikachu." Ash says to Serena and Dragon Emperor's surprise.

"How did you know that Gigavolt Havoc is the Electrium Z move Ash?" Dragon Emperor asks in a pleasant tone.

"Well since you told us about it I have been excited about. So I did a little research about Z moves in the Alola region. I have heard you need to go through a Grand Trial or something to get your ring and crystal. Also I have heard Alola has things like island Guardians and Malsadas and Totem Pokemon. I can't wait to check that region out" Ash says in an ecstatic voice.

'Good. Now put all this enthusiasm and focus all this into your studies. We shall study about Mega Evolution and Z moves in details and I shall introduce the Z crystals to you one by one." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right." Ash and Serena say in unison.

 **(After a morning of practicing)**

"Alright now Ash and Serena it is time we had a little theoretical class on Mega Evolution." Dragon Emperor says.

"Great." Ash and Serena said though inside they felt so not great about it. Especially after a morning of workup and practicing various Z move poses.

"Now ignoring the sarcasm today we will talk about Mega Evolution with respect to the Pokemon Charizard. Tell me what do you know of Charizard's Mega Evolution from my previous lessons?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Well Charizard has 2 forms of Mega Evolved forms A Mega Charizard X which is a Dominant Fire and Dragon type with Recessive Flying characteristics and a Mega Charizard Y whose type doesn't differ from Charizard's upon mega evolution." Serena says.

"Furthermore Mega Charizard X's ability is Tough Claws while that of Y's is Drought." Ash says.

"Excellent as always. Now today we will talk about a different form which is Mega Charizard Z." Dragon Emperor says.

"Mega Charizard Z? This is new." Serena says as she opens up her laptop in order to take down today's notes. She hand the laptop to Dragon Emperor so that he can put in his password. Then he gives it to Ash for his password. Finally she inputs her password and signals to Dragon Emperor she is all set to go.

"Charizard is the only known Pokemon which can Mega Evolve in 3 ways. No other Pokemon till now has been capable of doing so. The reason behind this 3 different forms of Mega Evolution can be attributed to it's interesting form of passive evolution where it lost it's Dragon typing due to several factors and stimuli." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"If it has 3 Mega Evolved forms then why do the professors only know about 2 forms?" Ash asks.

"An excellent question. The answer is because the Mega Stone Charizardite Z is extremely rare. Now can any of you take a guess what is Mega Charizard Z's typing will be?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Well definitely Dominant Fire and maybe Flying and Dragon Typing as well. Based on the other 2 forms would be my guess." Serena says.

"What about you Ash?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Well I am going with what Serena said." Ash replies.

"You are right of course. But to tell you the truth Mega Charizard Z actually has 5 dominant types." Dragon Emperor says.

"5 Dominant types! In one Pokemon?" Ash and Serena shout in unison.

"Yes. It is a Dominant Fire,Dragon, Flying, Fighting and Steel type Pokemon. This is why Mega Charizard Z is a force to be reckoned with. It the most powerful Fire type and the rarest Fire type Mega Evolved Pokemon. The reason why I tell you this now is because Ash the Mega Stone you have is actually a Charizardite Z." Dragon Emperor says. Ash's jaw drops on hearing that. Serena on hearing that squeals in excitement and gives Ash a hug which he does not reciprocate because he is still dazed.

"No wonder. Prof Sycamore couldn't recognize it." Ash says as he takes out the mega stone and looks at it.

"Of course he couldn't. This particular mega stone has not been seen in the past 6000 years." Dragon Emperor says.

"What!" Ash and Serena shout so loud causing even Dragon Emperor to flinch a little from the volume.

"Sorry. But is that really true. 6000 years!" they say in unison.

Dragon Emperor nods.

"Wow. You are lucky Ash." Serena says as she inspects the stone Ash is holding.

"Hold on a second. If it is really not been seen for 6000 years how did you recognize it?" Ash asks.

"I may not have been 6000 years ago to see it but the Pokemon masters left a vivid description in the ancient archives of the Pokemon Master library. When I saw it I myself was taken aback." Dragon Emperor says.

"I see. Well time to check it out." Ash says as he tosses Charizard's Poke-ball.

He is about to place the stone pendant on Charizard when suddenly he hears Dragon Emperor's voice.

"Stop. You need to be extremely careful while using it. Come sit down at once and put Charizard back in it's Poke-ball." Dragon Emperor says in a firm and surprisingly alarmed voice.

"Okay." Ash says before looking at Serena with a curious tone and returning Charizard to it's ball.

"Before you use that Mega Stone you must first have all the prerequisite knowledge. And I am not joking here. This is not a mega stone to be used lightly. It is extremely dangerous if used in an immature manner." Dragon Emperor says with a very serious look.

"Please continue." Ash says.

"Alright tell me Serena what was the introduction I gave you regarding Mega Evolution's mechanism?" Dragon Emperor says turning to Serena.

"Easy. The key to mega evolution is the bond shared between trainer and Pokemon. The Mega Stone and the key stone act like a receiver and the sender. The key stone transforms the Aura of the trainer into a form which can travel to the keystone. After the level of Aura crosses a certain threshold this energy read the genetic information required for the change in the Pokemon after mega evolution and takes it is just like Evolution Stone process. The energy of the stone in this case is a mixture of the signal which is sent from Aura Threshold gene to the Mega Evolutionary Regulatory gene and Aura Energy. This triggers the mega evolution process." Serena replies.

"Good. Now Ash what makes it temporary?" Dragon Emperor asks turning to Ash.

"Easy after the battle is over the connection which is consistently feeding the Mega stone the trainers Aura and keeping the energy above the threshold level is broken. When that happens the trainer aura energy flow stops and without the energy the Pokemon reverts back to it's stable evolutionary stage." Ash replies.

"Good now listen closely both of you. For it is very important. What makes Charizardite Z so powerful and also dangerous is that the threshold level it has is 3 times higher than the threshold level in Charizardite X or Y. This increase allows it not exceptionally strong power but is also responsible for mutating the class DNA in such a way that it can accommodate the 5 different types of Pokemon DNA types in a dominant state. This is what is dangerous about it. If you are not ready then it will cause you to faint and if you happen to be in a difficult battle at the moment a lapse of connection happens then it could also cause harm to not just you but your Charizard as well. There has even been a case when a trainer and his Charizard received a mental injury. Of course that was around 18,000 years ago but still it is not something to be taken lightly." Dragon Emperor says in the most serious tone he has ever used.

Ash gulps on hearing that. Serena looks at Ash in a reassuring way ash she holds his hand for support.

"But that is not the main problem." Dragon Emperor says quietly.

"That is not the main problem? What does classify as a main problem for you Dragon Emperor?" Serena says in a loud tone.

"Ever since i have seen Ash's mega stone I have been training him hard to ensure that this problem does not happen. However the main problem is that due to the high threshold level it's power is great as well. If Ash does not have the mental fortitude needed to control that power it will take control of both Ash and Charizard causing them both to do anything. Even go out on a rampage if need be. Now Ash you know everything needed before using it. That mega stone came to you for a reason. A mega stone not seen for 6000 years doesn't just pop into someone's hand by chance. I think destiny has plans for you using it. However if you are willing then you will master this mega evolution under my tutelage and guidance. Of course there is the danger as well. So whether you wish to use it is up to you. It's your decision." Dragon Emperor says.

"I will need some time to think about it." Ash says before getting up and walking away.

"I will come with you." Serena says as she tries to get up but the Dragon Emperor holds her hand and nods his head telling her "This is between him and his Charizard. There are somethings you should know not to interfere in. Especially if you plan on becoming his wife in the future."

Serena goes crimson on hearing that and then she eventually sits down.

"I guess so." She says in an awkward way trying to digest the Dragon Emperor's words while the Dragon Emperor is chuckling at Serena's response. Then he again becomes concerned when his thought drift back to Ash's Charizardite Z.

'This might not just be one of Ash's but mine most challenging trials as well. Only time will tell I guess.' He thinks to himself.


	44. Learning about Z Moves

**(Next Day after Lunch)**

"Yesterday we talked about Mega Evolution. There was specific focus on Charizardite Z. So Ash after a day's thought have you made your decision?" Dragon Emperor asks Ash.

"I gave it a long thought. Both me and my Charizard feel that using this mega stone is the right way forward. So we have decided to do it." Ash replies.

"Very well young man. Your decision is a brave and an admirable one. I respect the courage shown by the 2 of you. Don't worry I am sure you will figure it out. But that is for a later time. Today we discuss about the mechanism of Z moves. How do Z moves power up a Pokemon? Why do we need to strike a particular pose for a Z move to work? What are the different classes of Z crystals? All these will be covered in today's class." Dragon Emperor says.

"Cool. Can't get to get started." Ash says.

"Now you have seen my Hariyama's Z move all out pummeling when we practiced dodging. Tell me what do you remember?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Well you were doing some kind of a dance. Then a certain glow engulfed you which then became a beam of energy which I am guessing was Aura. This energy then entered your Hariyama after which it was able to use the Z move." Serena says.

"Very good. Now let's start from the basics. There are 4 things necessary to perform Z moves. First thing you need is a Z ring. The second a Z crystal. Thirdly you need to be able to correctly perform all the required poses needed for the successful transfer of Aura energy. Finally you need a bond of complete trust having full synchronization with your Pokemon." Dragon Emperor says.

"OK. But what I have a question Dragon Emperor?" Ash says.

"What is it Ash?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Well I just wanted your opinion on which one is better. Mega Evolution or Z moves?" Ash asks.

"Interesting question. The answer is that both have there advantages and disadvantages. Mega Evolution raises a Pokemon's attack power, Endurance, Defensive power and also induces other changes like change in type. Whereas Z moves give it's user an exceptional increase in power to perform one move in order to deal critical damage to an enemy. You must use whichever suits your Pokemon and the situation the best. Does this answer your question?" Dragon Emperor asks. Ash gives a nod to gesture to Dragon Emperor to continue.

"Now continuing from where we left. Now several people has classified Z moves in different ways. We shall be learning the classification of Z moves which has been followed in the order of the Pokemon classification known as the Grant Crystal Classification Scheme. According to this classification there are 2 categories of Z moves. In the first category the Z moves are differentiated by the type of the Z crystal. In simpler words here the Z crystals differ from each other based on the compatibility with their type." Dragon Emperor says.

"That's right. I have heard that there are 18 different Z crystals with 1 crystal being for 1 type. Like an Electrium Z for a electric type and a Darkium Z for a dark type etc." Ash says.

"Correct. Your research on Z crystals is correct. Most common ones are Type Specific in nature. However it was soon observed that there were certain Z crystals which were Pokemon specific. However we shall talk about those crystals a little later. For now we focus only on Type Specific crystals. Now would any of you care to venture a guess as to why the specific poses are needed to perform a Z move?" Dragon Emperor asks the duo. Both Ash and Serena think for a moment then nod their heads indicating that they can't guess.

"Alright now listen here. Have any of you heard about Aura Chakra points?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"I haven't." Serena says.

"The name seems familiar but I can't remember where I exactly heard this before. Give me a second will you?" Ash says before closing his eyes. His mind is racing when suddenly his thoughts rest on Riley and his Lucario.

"Of course. I met a trainer in Sinnoh known as Riley who had a Lucario. His ambition was to become an Aura guardian like a Sir Aaron. He told me and my companions about certain entries he found in Sir Aaron's diaries. One of the things mentioned were Aura Chakra points. Though he didn't tell me anything further." Ash says.

"I see. You're quite lucky Ash to have actually come across this term before. Any way the thing is that in the body of a Pokemon and a human's there are 7 Chakra points. Where these points are located I will tell you later. But for now know that these 7 points are vital nodes which are essential in controlling the network of Aura that flows through a living body. In fact one of the reasons why Pokemon and human trainer can bond the way they do is because they have the same number of Chakra points as the other. This gives humans higher compatibility with Pokemon unlike other Animals or Plants whose Chakra numbers differ." Dragon Emperor says before taking a sip of water.

"Well the thing is that the Z ring is different from the Key Stone used during Mega Evolution. Though both are Power up Phenomena's both have very different mechanisms. Always Remember. A human's Aura can take the form of any Pokemon's Aura. Each Pokemon type's Aura has it's own characteristic wavelength bandwidth. In Mega Evolution the Key Stone takes care of translating the Human trainer's Aura to the bandwidth of the Pokemon's type. This is not the case in Z moves. In Z moves the pose that we strike puts specific pressure on different Chakra point to ensure that the Aura that the human is going to transfer into the Pokemon for the performing of the Z Move corresponds with the bandwidth of the Pokemon which is going to perform the Z Move."

"Then what is the role of the Z Ring and the Z Crystal?" Serena asks.

"Do you remember I told you that every Pokemon's attack is associated with an individual strand in it's Class DNA?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Yes we do what of it? Every move a Pokemon can perform has a unique strand in the Class DNA." Ash asks.

"Every Z move is based on the Pokemon's type. For example Gigavolt Havoc is a Electric types Z move. But if the electric type doesn't have the genetic information needed to perform this move it will not be able it. Here is where the Z crystal comes in. Z crystal temporarily provides the Pokemon with the genetic information needed to perform that particular move." Dragon Emperor replies.

"What about the Z Ring? What is it's use?" Serena asks.

"The Z ring acts as a stabilizing agent to ensure that smooth transition of the Aura power takes place from the Trainer to the Pokemon." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"But I don't recall anything like this happening in the mechanism of mega evolution. There also we give huge amounts of Aura power needed for the Pokemon to Mega Evolve. I don't recall anything like a stabilizing agent being present there." Serena says.

"Observant as always I see. The reason is again the difference in the mechanisms. But this time I will let you answer your question for you. Tell me Ash can a Pichu use a move like Volt Tackle?" Dragon Emperor says.

"No it can't. A Pichu can barely control large amounts of electricity. So focusing the energy into a move like Volt Tackle is impossible." Ash says.

"You are right. Yet Pikachu can. Why is that Serena?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Because it has evolved so it's body and mind can handle the large amount of power needed to perform Volt Tackle." Serena replies.

"Exactly. Same is the case in Mega Evolution. In Mega Evolution the entire genetic makeup of the Pokemon undergoes a mutation which gives it another evolutionary stage. This higher evolutionary stage enables it to withstand that high level of Aura power that it receives from the trainer during the Mega Evolution. However in the case of Z moves we provide an exceptionally high level of power to a Pokemon which has not evolved. To ensure no harm comes to the Pokemon while it is receiving the high level of Aura Power from it's trainer to perform a Z move the Z ring acts a stabilizing platform." Dragon Emperor replies.

"But that would mean that Mega Evolution is better than Z moves. Not only is there no need for any poses but the mechanism is also more evolved and complex that the latter's." Ash says.

"You are right to a certain degree. Mega Evolution does give a more overall benefit instead of just powering up 1 move but it also has it's limitations. The biggest being that for a Pokemon to Mega Evolve it needs to be in it's final evolutionary stage. However a Z move can be used by even a Pokemon which has not evolved completely." Dragon Emperor says.

"Cool." Ash says to which Dragon Emperor chuckles.

"What about the other type of Z crystals which are Pokemon specific?" Serena asks while consulting her notes.

"Oh right. Good that you reminded me for I almost forgot. Now what I told you was about Type Specific Z moves. The other type of Z crystals are Pokemon specific. You see whether it is Pokemon or human or this planet everything is in a constant phase of change and evolution. This is true in the case of Z crystals as well. It seems as time passed we started to find Z crystals which were not only type specific but Pokemon specific as well. A good example of this is a Snorlaxium Z." Dragon Emperor says.

"Snorlaxium Z! You mean that Snorlax has a Z crystal which is specific to it. That is cool." Ash says thinking about his own Snorlax.

"Yes. Now to get to the crux of the matter. The difference of type specific Z crystals and Pokemon specific Z crystal lies in it's genetic programming. Now keep in mind that the move a Pokemon can perform is dependent on whether it has the genetic strand needed to perform that move. In Pokemon specific Z crystals a little mega evolution is performed." Dragon Emperor says.

"You lost me completely." Ash says.

"Same here." Serena replies.

"OK then let us understand through an example. Consider Snorlaxium Z. One of Snorlax's best known Z moves is Pulverizing Pancake. This move can't be performed if your Snorlax can't perform Giga Impact because Pulverizing Pancake is the evolved Z move based on Giga Impact." Dragon Emperor says.

"So the Z move is based on whether a Pokemon has mastered the base move on which the Z move is based on. That's interesting." Serena says while taking down notes at breakneck speed.

"But one thing I don't get. Why did you say that a little Mega Evolution is performed before?" Ash says.

"Because when a Z move happens with a Snorlaxium Z the genetic information in the Z crystal triggers a temporary mutation in the class DNA of Snorlax on the strand which controls Giga Impact. After the Z move has been completed the pulverizing pancake strand reverts back to it's original Giga Impact strand form." Dragon Emperor says.

"So that's why a little Mega Evolution. Nice. Very Nice." Ash says with his body shaking in excitement.

"I can't wait to get started." Serena says thinking of her Z moves as well.

"Very well then. Let us begin." Dragon Emperor says in his characteristic calm and composed cool tone.

 **(Meanwhile in Pallet Town)**

"Good thing Grace told me what happened. Soon I shall be in Kalos and get to know what Ash and Serena have been up to and what is this deal with this Dragon Emperor character." Delia says in a worried tone while packing her suitcase.

"Mime Mime Mr. Mime." Mr Mime says while agreeing.

"Of course. Just like Ash. Rash and unpredictable as always. Doesn't think for a second before going on a journey with someone he barely knows." Delia says in a little angry tone.

"Mime Mime." Mr Mime says in calm and reassuring tone.

Delia takes a deep breath. Then she turns to Mr. Mime and says "You are right. Maybe I am just over reacting. Still it will be good to see Grace after all thee years. What do you say Mimey? Ready to go an adventure with me?"

"Mime Mime." Mr. Mime says in an ecstatic tone.

"OK then let's go. Our flight is in 2 hours." Delia says while picking up her suitcases and closing the lights of the house before locking the door.

She enters the cab along with Mr. Mime after putting all the luggage in the trunk of the cab.

'I hope you are safe Ash and Serena. Wherever you are.' Delia thinks to herself as she looks at the ever changing scenery in the black of night while the car is moving.


	45. Return of the Queen

**(2 Months Later)**

Grace is getting ready for her day of coaching and instruction of Rhyhorn racing. She and Delia have been sharing their room ever since he arrived. There has been no news of Ash or Serena. But she has got used to their long uninformed absences by now. Delia on the other hand is not taking it so well.

"Here you go Grace. Your coffee with a shade of Vanilla Extract just the way you used to like it back in Pallet town." Delia says as she hands Grace a cup of coffee.

"Thanks Delia." Grace says as she takes the coffee and open the Kalos Times to read the news.

Suddenly there is a knock on the door. Upon hearing it both Grace and Delia look at each other with a surprised expression.

"Who is knocking at the door at this early hour in the morning?" Grace says as she moves towards the door to see who it is.

She gets shocked on opening the door.

"Serena!" She shouts in a surprised tone. Upon hearing that Delia too runs towards the door.

"Mom it's good to see you." Serena says as she tackles Grace into a tearful hug.

"Oh my baby girl. You have no idea how I have missed you." Grace says as tears come trickling out of her eyes.

"Delia. Good to see you." Serena says after she has separated from Grace.

"Good to see my future daughter in law as well." Delia says as she gives Serena a warm hug. After the emotional welcome is over Serena, Delia and Grace are sitting on the table drinking coffee.

"So where have you been? You almost disappeared. I tried calling you so many times but none of the calls went through. Also where is Ash? What about the Dragon Emperor?" Grace and Delia says as they bombard Serena with questions. Serena tries to calm down both of them so that she can answer the endless barrage of questions.

"Well. Ash is not here. I came because soon in 2 weeks time the Master Class is going to be kept. Besides I also need to perform 3 exhibition performances for the last 3 rookie class performances. Plus I have 6 photo shoots and an interview I need to give. I have held these off as long as I could. But I could't anymore so I asked Dragon Emperor whether I could come back and deal with all this unfinished business. He told me to go ahead and come back here." Serena says.

"Oh. Well that was rather nice of him. But more importantly where is Ash?" Grace asks.

"Oh. Well Ash is still training with the Dragon Emperor in the Hoenn region." Serena replies.

"Oh. That's sad. I wanted to see my baby boy too. Is he safe and sound? Is he happy? Does he think about me?" Delia asks in a tearful disappointed tone.

"Oh don't worry. We both have been having the time of our life. I am learning and doing things which I never thought were possible for me to do. Of course it is tough and tiring and difficult. But he is extremely happy. He misses you as well." Serena says.

"Good to know he at least thinks about his mother once in a while. Not that he would actually call his mother once in a while to check up on her so that she knows her only son is alive and well." Delia says in a sad tone.

"Don't worry Delia. Dragon Emperor told me that once he has finished training with Ash he is going to send him here as well. Apparently he has some business which he needs to deal with in the Sinnoh and Hoenn regions. While he is taking care of that the 2 of us will be here at KIP. So you should see Ash quite soon." Serena says as she gives Delia a smile.

Delia on hearing that instantly brightens up.

"Well. As much as I would love to talk with you 2. I need to go and meet Diantha. As soon as she heard I was back she sent for me. I told her I would come see her as soon as I finished meeting with the 2 of you. In fact I think she wants you both to be present in the meeting as well." Serena says while standing up.

"You go ahead sweet heart. We will come as soon as possible." Grace says while giving Serena a kiss on her forehead.

 **(Back in the Hoenn Region)**

"Well Ash. Serena is gone. Now is the best time for you to work on Charizard's Mega Evolution." Dragon Emperor says.

"I won't let you down. I will master it. No matter what." Ash says.

"You should say that to yourself and your Charizard instead of me. Now do you remember what I told you about Charizardite Z?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Yes I do." Ash replies.

"Give me the skinny version of what I told you." Dragon Emperor says.

"No problem." Ash says as he starts to describe Charizardite Z's properties while the Dragon Emperor listens in silence.

"Good. Now bring out your Charizard." Dragon Emperor says after patiently listening to Ash.

"OK. But just to be clear. I am not afraid." Ash says while grabbing Charizard's Poke-ball.

"Fear is a complex emotion Ash. It is like a two sided blade which can both work for you and against you. In some cases fear can immobilize you. Disrupt your thoughts. Act as a hindrance in judgement. In other cases fear can help you." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"Fear can help me?" Ash asks in bewilderment.

"Of course. Fear is useful. It keeps you alive and alert. Teaches you to be always present in the moment. It also strengthens your resolve." Dragon Emperor replies.

"I don't understand." Ash says.

"Tell me Ash how can you perform past the limit of your body and soul. How can you move faster than possible. Fight longer and harder than possible without one of the most powerful impulses of the spirit which is the fear of failing." Dragon Emperor says while putting a hand on Ash's shoulder.

"Emotions are a powerful force. Learn to embrace them. Emotions are what gives you your true power. They are what make you who you are. Always remember this fact. It is one of the most important lessons you can ever learn from me. With time you will understand this." He says while smiling at Ash's innocent confused face. Ash nods at Dragon Emperor's words.

"Now let us resume with your training. Here put the pendant on Charizard's neck." Dragon Emperor says while handing Ash the Charizardite Z.

"Let's do this Charizard." Ash says as he tosses Charizard's Poke-ball. Charizard gives it's usual display of power. Ash calmly walks up to Charizard and places the pendant around it's neck.

"I am not afraid." Ash says to Dragon Emperor before turning to Charizard who signals him indicating he is ready.

'You will be.' Dragon Emperor thinks to himself as Ash's keystone starts to glow.

 **(Meanwhile in KIP in Diantha's Office)**

"Good to see you Diantha. You too Prof. Sycamore and Oak." Serena says as she sits down.

"Good to see you as well Serena. So tell me why have you returned to KIP alone? Where is Ash and that Dragon Emperor? More importantly where did the 3 of you disappear of to?" Diantha asks. Serena gives a chuckle to the surprise of everyone.

"I am actually surprised that you are asking about him after your last battle's outcome. It seems you are determined to challenge him again Diantha." Serena says while smiling.

"I am. Actually all the champions are going to fight along side me. This is his condition for a rematch." Diantha replies.

"I see. Well he didn't tell the two of us anything about that. But I will warn you again. Don't make the mistake of underestimating him again Diantha. It cost you much more than just a defeat the last time. This time it might cost you a lot more if you are not careful." Serena says in a more serious tone.

"Your advise is duly noted. But tell me where is Ash? Why have you come alone?" Diantha asks.

"Well." Serena is about to say when suddenly the other champions and Palermo walk into the room as well.

"Hello Serena. Long time no see." Cynthia says while waving her hand.

"Hi Cynthia. I see you have all the other champions present with you." Serena replies.

"Of course. We are training hard as a team. The next time we meet that Dragon Emperor we shall show him the power and pride of a Champion together." Cynthia replies.

"Be my guest. I am sure he would expect nothing less from the 6 of you as well." Serena says in a pleasant tone.

"Serena why aren't you greeting Palermo? You are seeing each other after a very long time." Grace asks in a surprised tone.

"Oh that's right. I forgot to tell you. I came to Kalos from Hoenn on Palermo's jet. Did you forget that Palermo had gone for a vacation in the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions for the past 3 months. So we met up at the airport and chatted on the flight." Serena says.

"Yes we did. While I didn't approve of Serena's actions of going without informing anyone with a mysterious person I was impressed when I saw her footage of her double battle with Ash against Paul and Brandon." Palermo says in her reserved tone.

"Well a lot did happen while you were busy with the Frontier brains deal. Then you took of on a well deserved vacation. I didn't want to disturb you." Serena says in a little embarrassed manner.

"That was indeed extremely irresponsible of you. You didn't even inform me. At least you came back quickly. The Pokemon Performer association pestered me through out the entire course of my vacation regarding your whereabouts. About how you had disappeared without a trace and were not available for exhibition or charity performances. Had you stayed away a little longer you would have surely destroyed your career as Kalos Queen for sure. Good thing you came back. I need to teach you new routines. Practice old ones. Then we need to do all the performances which you were due. All the photo shoots and events which are waiting in line. Plus there is the upcoming Master Class. So much to do in such little time. This is going to be a headache." Palermo says before pausing to drink some water.

"I know. Don't worry. I have been practicing for Pokemon performances as well. I have made 4 new routines. I will show you later. Plus whatever is due. I will do it in whatever order and day you want. I am free till the Master Class." Serena replies.

"Who has been teaching you and guiding you regarding the new routines?" Palermo asks in a suspicious tone.

"Dragon Emperor of course." Serena replies.

"Serena. That person whoever he is might be a powerful Pokemon trainer. But Pokemon battling and performing are not the same thing. Whatever this man has taught you will most likely be useless. Besides I can see a change in your body. The muscles are much more built. There is a alert yet tired look in your eyes. Your hands are extremely rough. The skin of your face is quite rough as well. You are in desperate need for a full workup. Pedicure, Manicure, Facial the works." Palermo says.

"That is a result of my intense endless training. As for the useless performances. Once I get my workup done why don't you actually see one routine and then judge me based on that." Serena replies.

"Fine. No problem. But before I leave for my meeting with Pokemon Performer Association regarding your arrival and all the event that will follow. I want to ask you something. Are you still interested in Pokemon performances?" Palermo asks in a serious tone.

"I am. But I have also come to enjoy battling as well. Don't worry Palermo. I will show you my new routine. Then you can judge me based on that." Serena replies.

"Alright. You will go to your usual guy for the workup once Diantha and the others have finished talking with you. Then once my meeting is over I will see what new supposed performance routines you have been taught by that Dragon character. Then we will leave immediately in the evening to finish everything that was due on your calendar for the past 2 months." Palermo says before walking out.

After Palermo is gone Serena says "Well that went better than the conversation in the plane." while chuckling.

"She is not wrong you know. You have changed a lot more than you think you have." Diantha says.

"I know. But as you heard Palermo I am a little short on time. So if you have any important questions for me I suggest you ask me right now." Serena says.

"We have just one. Where is the Dragon Emperor and what is he dong with Ash?" Lance asks.

"Oh. I am sorry. I don't know who you are?" Serena says.

"I am Lance. The Kanto and Johto champion. I am also the head of the G-Men" Lance replies.

"Well nice to meet you Lance. Even I don't know where exactly we were but I can tell you that we were training in the Hoenn region. Dragon Emperor is training with Ash and his Charizard for something special. What exactly I have been told expressively not to tell you. But don't worry. Ash will be here in a few weeks as well." Serena replies.

"Here in a few weeks. What do you mean?" Lance asks.

"Dragon Emperor told me that once he has finished training with Ash he is going to send him here as well. Apparently he has some business which he needs to deal with in the Sinnoh and Hoenn regions. While he is taking care of that the 2 of us will be here at KIP. So you all should see Ash quite soon." Serena says while smiling.

'Interesting. The Sinnoh and Hoenn Region. Now I know where to focus my attention. Better inform Looker as well.' Lance thinks to himself.

"Very well if that is all then I would to spend some time with my mom and Ash's mom before leaving. May I leave?" Serena asks.

"Of course you may. Have fun. Good to have you back Serena." Diantha says after a moment of thought.

"No problem. Good to be back. Good luck in your battle against him. You will need it." Serena says before leaving with Grace and Delia.

 **(Back in the Hoenn Region)**

Both Ash and Charizard are on the ground. They are unable to get up due to the sheer exhaustion. Dragon Emperor chuckles at their sight.

"What's so funny?" Ash asks while barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Interesting isn't it. This Mega Stone is so powerful that it draws so much power from the 2 of you that just Mega Evolving and holding Charizard's Mega Evolved Z form for 10 minutes caused you both to lose your energy to such an extent that forget getting up you can't even ask the question without struggling to keep yourself awake. Now tell me are you afraid?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"I am." Ash whispers before his Charizard falls asleep.

"Don't worry I am only teasing you a bit. For a first time that was great. I will tell you where you went wrong and how to rectify the problem." Dragon Emperor says.

"Good to hear that." Ash whispers before falling asleep as well. Dragon Emperor looks at Ash and Charizard who have fallen asleep on the ground due to sheer exhaustion.

'Well since the student is napping perhaps the master can also get some shuteye.' He thinks to himself before entering his tent for a nap as well.


	46. Attempt at Regaining Lost Pride

**(2 Hours Later)**

"Now you like the Serena we know." Grace says as Serena comes out of the beauty parlor after getting her entire workup done. Her skin is glowing. Her nails are well done. Her skin is now back to it's original glowing vibrant shining form.

"Well even I must admit I needed to get this done. I was starting to look a shade to hideous for a Kalos Queen's standard." Serena says as she looks at her hands and her nails trying to remember the last time when they were like this before she became Dragon Emperor's apprentice.

"Now that you are back to looking sane why don't we get some lunch. Palermo called an hour back while you were getting your facial done. She will be in KIP in an 2 hours time. Then you are to leave for the airport straight away where your Private Jet is all fueled and ready." Grace says.

"Good. Where are we eating?" Serena asks.

"Back in KIP. Delia has been cooking since morning." Grace says as she and Serena get into her limousine.

"Cool. Let's go Harry." Serena says.

"Of course." Harry replies as the puts the pedal on the gas and the car speeds of.

 **(One and a Half Hours Later)**

"And we are finished." Serena says while striking her characteristic finish pose. Grace, Palermo, Delia, Diantha, Oak and Sycamore are looking at the performance Serena just gave with their jaws wide open.

"So how was it? Not too shabby right." Serena says while smiling at everyone.

"That was.. " Palermo says as she gets lost for words.

"Incredible. Amazing. All are acceptable." Serena says while recalling her Pokemon.

Palermo is the first one to recover. She says "Well if your other 3 routines are like this then I don't think winning the master class should be a problem for you. But tell me how did Dragon Emperor teach you all this? I thought he was just a powerful Pokemon trainer?"

"To tell you the truth Palermo till now even Ash and I don't know who he is. But we trust and respect him completely. Alright I guess it's time to get going to the airport." Serena replies.

"Hold on a second. I have unfinished business with you." A voice shouts out of nowhere.

Everyone turns around to find Paul standing there.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have classes going on?" Sycamore asks.

"I am not attending today. I have unfinished business with her." Paul says while pointing his finger at Serena.

"Is that so. What is it?" Serena asks in a calm tone.

"Ever since you humiliated me in our previous battle my reputation as a competent battler has been ruined. I am here to retake my pride and status as a competent trainer. I challenge you to a battle. You against me in a full battle." Paul replies.

Sycamore is about to interrupt when suddenly Diantha grabs his hands. He looks at her to see her nodding her head indicating that she wants to see where this is going.

"Sorry but I don't have time to deal with a cub. I have to leave." Serena replies while turning away.

"What's the matter. Not woman enough to fight me. I guess that battle was just a fluke. You managed to win because your boyfriend told you in advance what Pokemon I had in advance." Paul says in a taunting manner.

"Just like an amateur. Using useless tactics to insight me. Oh how the mighty Paul has truly fallen." Serena replies in a mocking turn without even giving the slightest of reactions.

"Well well. A weak coward just like your boyfriend. In that case it is better if you leave." Paul says while smirking.

Suddenly Serena flashes her eyes in a waning kind of way at Paul. Diantha and Cynthia get shocked as they have a flashback to the time when the Dragon Emperor flashed his eyes at them in Diantha's office. Moments later Serena relaxes her expression and says "Fine. I accept. Since I don't have time we shall have a 3 on 3 battle. But don't come crying to me later when it ends up like last time."

"No problem. I shall enjoy crushing you in battle." Paul says while smirking at the fact that he can crush her.

"But Serena we have to be at the airport in 2 hours." Palermo says.

"Relax Palermo it shouldn't take more than half an hour." Serena replies.

"Very well then. The battle will begin in 15 minutes in the stadium. Sycamore make the arrangements." Diantha says.

"Very well then." Sycamore says while walking away.

Grace turns to Palermo only to see her looking at Serena with an expression of shock.

"What's the matter Palermo?" Grace asks.

"She has changed. Just look at her. The expression in her eyes. What happened to her?" Palermo asks.

"She has changed in ways neither you nor I can imagine. Did you see her and Ash's battle against Paul and Brandon?" Grace asks.

Palermo nods her head to indicate that she had.

"Well you are in for less than expected surprise. Let's go." Grace says as she starts walking away with Palermo following in suit.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

"The battle between Paul and Serena the Kalos Queen will now begin. This will be a 3 on 3 battle with no substitutions. Trainers bring out your first Pokemon." Referee replies.

"I will choose first. Dragonite let's go." Serena says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"A Dragonite. In that case Weavile stand by for battle." Paul says while choosing his Pokemon.

 **(In the stands)**

"Go Paul. You can do it." Dawn says as she cheers for her recent boyfriend in her usual cheerleader outfit with Piplup and Buneary in their outfits.

"Wow Dawn. You are really cheering for Paul hard." Brock says.

"Of course. He has been training really hard since he lost. As his girlfriend I need to cheer him to my best capacity." Dawn replies.

"Of course. I would do the same if Brocky were battling." Lucy replies as she sits beside Brock. Suddenly Toxicroak comes out of his Poke-ball and curls itself in Lucy's lap.

"Yeah. Well you stayed here for your Brocky when the other brains went back. For that I am extremely happy and lucky." Brock says as he gives Lucy a kiss on her cheeks causing her to go crimson.

"Well I am happy for you two. Now I just hope Paul will win as well. You will cheer for him won't you." Dawn replies.

"Yes of course. By the match up Paul has made a good choice." Lucy says.

"But we can't count Serena out as well. She surprised everyone at her last battle with Paul and Brandon. I have never seen any of them shaking like that or being defeated like that for that matter. This won't be easy. Serena is a tough cookie for sure." Brock says in a serious tone.

"Well only time will tell who shall win." Lucy says while turning her attention back to the battle.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Alright. Let's see how powerful Serena has become." Diantha says.

"Indeed." Cynthia replies.

"You seem to be extremely sure Serena will win?" Palermo asks in surprise.

"Of course. You saw what we saw in her last battle with Paul. He and Brandon were completely annihilated." Diantha replies.

Palermo gets surprised on hearing that.

"You are shocked on our confidence in her win. Trust me we all have been getting shocks for the past 5 months." Diantha says.

 **(On the Battlefield)**

"An Ice type. A good choice against my Dragonite. You may have the first move Paul." Serena says.

"Weavile Ice beam." Paul commands.

"Block it." Serena says. Dragonite nods and folds it's hands above it's chest to block it.

An explosion takes place. Paul smirks and says "Taking an ice type move head on. Didn't think this through did you?"

Serena says nothing. The smoke clears to reveal Dragonite standing as if nothing happened with a few ice shards on its crossed arms. It gives a roar and separates it's hands shaking the ice shards off.

"It has good power. What else?" Serena says to a shocked Paul.

Paul recomposes himself and says "Ice beam one more time."

"Block it." Serena repeats.

The cycle repeats 3 times with Dragonite shaking the ice crystals off each time from his hands. Serena is simply standing with a calm composed look while Paul on the other hand is looking at that Dragonite in disbelief.

"But how?" Paul says in disbelief.

"Instead of saying how you should try something different common sense would dictate." Serena says while smirking. Paul gets irritated at that comment and loses his cool.

"Weavile use Blizzard." Paul commands.

"Flamethrower." Serena says in a lazy manner.

The flamethrower cuts through the blizzard as if it was nothing and explodes on colliding with Weavile. Weavile struggles to it's feet.

"Shadow ball. Rapid fire." Paul commands in a nervous manner.

"Deflect it." Serena says in a bored tone as Dragonite simply swats the Shadow Balls away with it's bare hands.

"Icicle crash." Paul shouts in a desperate tone seeing none of his attacks working.

"Thunder punch. Finish it." Serena commands.

Dragonite dodges the Icicle crash and delivers a fierce thunder punch sending Weavile flying. A few moments later Weavile is fainted on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Weavile is unable to battle. Dragonite wins." Referee says as Dragonite gives out a victory roar.

Paul returns his Pokemon. Then he looks at Dragonite and Serena who are actually looking bored. He starts shaking like the previous time.

 **(In the VIP Stands)**

"I knew Serena will win but not like this." Diantha says.

"How is that Dragonite standing as if nothing happened after taking so many super effective ice beams? Even my Dragonite can't take so many in a row." Lance asks in shock.

Everyone turns to the professors for answers. The professors simply shake their heads to convey that they don't know as well.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

Paul is shaking when suddenly he hears a voice.

"Paul stay calm. Don't let her intimidate you. You can beat her." the voice says.

Paul turns around to see his girlfriend Dawn shouting at the top of her voice from the stands. Paul smiles on hearing that and gives Dawn a nod to say that he is alright now. He turns around to see Serena smiling at him.

"Why are you smiling?" Paul asks.

"Nothing. I am just happy you found someone like Dawn. She is very nice. I hope she makes you happy." Serena replies.

Paul gets taken aback at the reply. He is about to say something when suddenly the referee interjects "Paul if you don't send out your next Pokemon then you shall be disqualified."

"Oh right. Sorry." Paul says while looking at Dragonite again.

'Even if those Ice beams appear not to have done some damage they must have done something. So my next choice is clear.' Paul thinks to himself while taking his next choice.

"Druddigon let's go." Paul says while tossing the Poke-ball.

Serena eyes the Druddigon and examines it. She thinks to herself 'Fascinating'.

"You may have the first move Paul." she says.

"Dragon Pulse." Paul says.

"Block with Steel Wing." Serena says calmly.

The Dragon Pulse collides with the steel wing pushing Dragonite back a bit but otherwise causing no damage.

"Flash Cannon. Keep up the pressure." Paul commands.

"Counter with Flamethrower." Serena says.

"Quick dodge it." Paul says as he sees Flamethrower overpower Flash Cannon upon meeting.

'That was close.' Paul thinks to himself as the Flamethrower narrowly misses Druddigon.

"Well what's wrong. I thought you were going to crush me. I guess that is all you have got to offer. What a waste of time." Serena says in an almost bored look.

"In that case Druddigon use Dragon Rush." Paul says to the surprise of Serena.

"I see. You have manged to get past Druddigon's inability to fly by jumping into the air to gain the required altitude while using it's tail as a spring and teach it Dragon Rush. Not bad. Just not good enough. Dragonite counter it." Serena says in a more intense tone.

Dragonite stops the Dragon Rush with one hand. Then it plunges it's free hand into the veil of Dragon Rush energy causing a minor explosion which upon settling revealing Druddigon being choked while held in mid air by one of Dragonite's hand around it's neck. It's two arms are desperately trying to free it's neck from Dragonite's iron tight grip to no avail and it's feet are writhing desperately. Paul is looking in shock as he realizes that Serena has just used his own favorite tactic, of taking an opponent's attack and counter attacking, against him.

Before Paul can say anything Serena commands "Dragon Claw with free hand then finish it with Ice beam."

Moments later Druddigon is sent flying into the wall separating the stands from the stadium. An explosion occurs which on settling reveals a crater in the wall with Druddigon stuck at the center of it with swirly eyes. Seconds later Druddigon's fainted body fall on the floor as the referee declares the battle over. There is stunned silence in the stadium. No one says anything. Everyone is looking in silence while glancing at each other nervously trying to digest what they are seeing.

 **(In the Stands)**

"What is going on? First Dragonite takes 4 super effective ice beams in a row without them doing anything. Then Paul's Druddigon gets defeated by one Ice beam." Brock says in disbelief. Lucy is shakes her head to convey that she doesn't know either. Both of them glance at Dawn who is looking crestfallen.

"Poor Dawn." They both mutter as they see Piplup and Buneary trying to cheer Dawn up.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

Everyone is looking in shock as they can't believe what they are seeing. Neither Grace nor Delia are clapping. They are happy inside but feeling very sorry for Paul as well.

"Poor Paul. I don't think he will make the mistake of taunting Serena regarding Ash again." Cynthia says to which Diantha nods.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"Druddigon return." Paul says in a beat down tone. He knows that he has bitten of more than he can chew and is shaking intensely. Serena on the other hand is calmly standing while smiling. Paul sees her smiling and gets mad.

"Froslass stand by for battle." Paul says loudly while tossing his final Poke-ball.

"A Froslass. Interesting. Reminds me of Ash's Glalie." Serena says.

"Like I care. Use Ice beam." Paul commands impatiently.

"This again. I thought you learnt that this was useless. Dragonite Block it." Serena says.

Paul clenches his fist in anger as the same thing happens again.

"Froslass use Hail." Paul says.

"I see. Using Hail to make the Snow Cloak ability more effective. But I won't allow it. Use Sunny Day Dragonite." Serena says.

"I will wipe that smug smile off your face. Use Destiny Bond." Paul commands as Hail is cancelled.

Serena gets shocked. She clenches her fist in anger as she knows that if Dragonite knocks Froslass out then it will faint as well.

"I see. Very clever Paul. This way you can take my Dragonite down even if Froslass loses. No matter. Dragonite use Flamethrower." Serena commands.

"Dodge it. Then Ice Shard." Paul says.

"Quick take to the sky then use Shadow Claw." Serena says.

"Dodge it and use Ice Shard." Paul says.

"Rip that shard apart with Dragon Claw and come down." Serena says.

She starts thinking to herself 'How do I deal with the snow cloak ability? That thing is moving randomly making it difficult to hit.' Suddenly an idea comes in her head.

"Quick use Thunder on the battlefield." Serena says.

Soon the entire air above the battlefield is covered with rocks blasted up by the thunder. One of the rocks hits Froslass and Serena sees her chance.

"Now Flamethrower." Serena says.

"Quick dodge it." Paul says. Froslass manages to dodge the bulk of the amount but it still get grazed by the flamethrower.

"Use Ominous Wind." Paul commands.

"Stand your ground Dragonite." Serena says as she calculates her next move.

"It's risky but it might work. But it's a one shot so it needs to be timed just right." Serena mutters to herself as an idea comes into her head.

"Use Confuse Ray." Paul commands.

"Dodge it. Then use Flamethrower. Aim it so that it is not a direct hit." Serena says. Paul gets surprised at this command. An explosion takes place revealing a tired damaged but conscious Froslass.

"What is she up to?" Paul says to himself when he sees Serena smiling.

"No matter. That Dragonite will lose. Use Shadow Ball." Paul commands. Serena smirks on hearing that.

"Got you now Paul. Quick use Steel wing and smash it right back at Froslass." Serena says. The shadow ball hits it's mark and an explosion takes place revealing a fainted Froslass. Paul gets shocked when he sees Dragonite not fainting.

"Why hasn't that thing fainted yet?" Paul shouts.

Serena simply shrugs her shoulders as the referee declares her the winner. She recalls her Dragonite and simply walks off leaving a confused and sad Paul on the field.

 **(In the Stands)**

"I know why Destiny Bond did not work. Destiny bond only works if the Pokemon who has used it gets fainted by an attack of the opponent. But in this case Froslass got defeated by it's own move which was sent back. Serena deliberately used indirect attacks to weaken Froslass but to ensure that it doesn't faint. Then she patiently waited for a ghost type move to send it back to end the match." Brock says.

"That was amazing. Paul was completely outclassed." Lucy says.

Suddenly they remember Dawn is there as well. They turn their heads to expect an angry outburst but get surprised to find her not present.

"Where is she?" Lucy asks Brock in concern.

"I don't know. But one thing is for sure. Something unpleasant is going to happen for sure and I don't want to be around when that happens." Brock says.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Serena that was some battle." Diantha says.

"Thanks. But I think we really must get going." Serena says to Palermo.

"Hold on. Serena you must tell us. How did your Dragonite take those Ice beams without them causing great damage." Oak asks.

"Well that's because Ice type moves are not effective on Dragon type Pokemon." Serena says while smiling.

"But that is not right. All of our research has indicated that Dragon types are weak against ice type moves. If what you were telling was true then Paul's Druddigon wouldn't have been knocked out in a single Ice Beam attack." Sycamore says.

"Then I will rephrase myself. Ice types moves are effective on Dragon types only when used in a certain way." Serena says while shrugging her shoulders.

"Serena none of us are able to understand what you are saying. Please don't talk in riddles. Give us the answer to our questions." Sycamore replies.

"No I won't. You will need to find the answer for yourselves. I am not supposed to spoon feed researchers of you repute." Serena says in a firm tone.

"But what about the answer?" Birch says.

"The answer was right there in front of you throughout the course of the entire battle. You looked but didn't see. Now if you will excuse me I am late for my flight." Serena says before starting to walk away. Suddenly Dawn comes in front of her.

"What do you want Dawn?" Serena asks her.

"You are strong I get it. But you didn't have to take it so far." Dawn says in an angry tone.

Serena smiles on hearing that to Dawn's surprise.

"I am happy that you are with Paul. Truly I am. He is a great trainer. I hope he makes you happy too." Serena says before walking away.

"That was not an acceptable answer. You didn't need to humiliate him." Dawn replies.

"I wasn't even going to battle him in the first place." Serena says.

"Then why did you?" Dawn asks in an angry tone.

"I battled him because he insulted my Ash just to get a battle with me. If there is one thing I won't tolerate then that is someone insulting my Ash." Serena replies.

"I see. Well I am sorry that happened. But now Paul's training confidence has been shattered. How am I supposed to help him get back on his feet?" Dawn says in a softer tone.

"Well if he is half the trainer you say he is. Then he will find his true strength with your support. Now go to him instead of wasting you time questioning me. Tell him I was impressed by his skills as a trainer and next time he wants a battle. All he needs to do is ask." Serena says before entering her limousine and slamming the door shut.

Dawn opens her mouth to say something but then she give a curt nod and turns around and walks away. Serena on seeing her go chuckles and rolls up the window of her limousine. She then smiles while thinking of Ash and closes her eyes for the ride to the airport.


	47. Enter Sawyer

**(1 week 5 days Later)**

Grace, Delia, Diantha and Cynthia are sipping tea. Over the past week the four of them have got quite close to one another.

"So how is Serena doing? I hear the Master Class is in 2 days time." Diantha asks.

"She is doing fine. The analysts are saying that she has never looked better based on her past 3 exhibition performances that she has given since she left. Palermo was telling me yesterday how impressed she was by the amount of maturity Serena has displayed in the past 2 weeks." Grace says.

"Well that's nice." Cynthia says with a smile.

"I can't wait to see her again. We have our flight tomorrow to Couriway Town for the master class. All of you are coming as well." Grace says.

"Yes we are. It will be good to see Serena doing a performance. I am sure it will be lovely for my first proper performance." Delia says. Grace nods on hearing that and gives a broad smile. Suddenly the 4 of them hear a huge roar.

"What was that?" The four say in unison as they get up and look at each other.

"Could be trouble." Cynthia says.

"Let's check it out." Diantha says while running towards the door. Upon reaching outside they see a guard running towards them in a panicked state.

"What happened?" Diantha asks.

"Don't know Champion. Out of nowhere a huge winged orange colored Pokemon started swooping down and giving of huge roars." Guard says. Suddenly they hear the roar again. All 5 of them turn to see a huge ferocious Charizard coming down towards the ground.

"Wait I know that Charizard." Cynthia says. Suddenly it hits all of them.

"Ash." Delia shouts as she runs towards the Charizard. Charizard finally lands on the ground and then Ash who was till now hidden from their line of sight gets down. He pats Charizard and then return it to it's Poke-ball. The moment he turns he gets tackled to the ground by an emotional Delia.

"Mom C-Can't B-Breathe." Ash chokes out as Delia refuses to let go. When his head starts to turn blue Grace comes to his rescue.

After Ash recovers his normal skin tone Delia shouts at the top of her voice "Where the hell were you? Did you know I have been worried sick about you. Why didn't you call me?"

Ash, Grace, Diantha and Cynthia wince at the volume at which Delia is shouting. Ash stands in silence as Delia continues shouting at him. Many people come to enjoy the sight only to be sent scurrying away from a stern look from Diantha.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

Everyone is breathing a sign of relief as Delia has shouted all she can and is now panting rendering her unable to shout further.

"Mom. Relax. Why don't we talk inside after getting you a glass of water." Ash says while taking Delia's hand and walking. The others follow suit.

A few moments later Delia says "Alright Ash. Better start talking. Where were you?"

"I thought Serena already told you. I was in the Hoenn region with the Dragon Emperor." Ash replies as he puts his sleeping Pikachu on the couch.

"And what were you doing in the Hoenn region. Something regarding your Charizard?" Cynthia asks.

"Yes. Dragon Emperor was helping me train along with my Charizard." Ash replies.

"And let me guess. He has told you not to tell us expressively." Diantha says.

"Yup. That's right. But that is a thing for later. Dragon Emperor has a message for you." Ash says.

"Oh! And what is that?" Cynthia asks.

"I take it you have been training hard along with the other Champions?" Ash asks.

"Yes we have. What of it?" Diantha asks.

"Well he told me that he has some business in the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions. It will take him at least a month to deal with that. After he is done he will inform me and Serena and then you will be free to challenge his Raichu for your battle." Ash says.

"Very well then. But if you do get in contact with him. Tell him that things won't got the way they did in his battle with Diantha." Cynthia says with a tone of aggressiveness in it.

"I like your tone. Just save it for your match. Now can any of you tell me where is Serena's Master Class going to be held?" Ash asks after giving a chuckle.

"Serena's Master Class. Wait a second. Did you come back just for Serena's Master Class?" Grace asks in a tone of surprise.

"Of course. Don't forget. Serena is the best thing that ever happened to me. Dragon Emperor or no Dragon Emperor. Did you really think I would miss it for the world?" Ash says. Grace and Delia beam on hearing that.

"Her Master Class is in Couriway Town. But there is no way this dirty shaggy ragged trainer is going to attend it as the Kalos Queen's boyfriend." Grace says. Ash sweat drops at Grace's comment as he nervously scratches the back of his head at how dirty he actually is after living in the wild with Dragon Emperor.

"Well I guess I could get fresh a bit." Ash says earning him giggles from Grace and Delia.

"Well since I know your size I will buy you some clothes. Meanwhile you go with your mom and get a full workup done so that you start looking like my daughter's boyfriend." Grace says to everyone's agreement.

 **(Meanwhile in the outskirts of Couriway Town)**

"I am glad Palermo gave me this day off. Today I can relax and focus on winning the master class." Serena says.

"Del Delphox." Delphox replies.

Serena climbs on top of the hill with Delphox. From there she can see the entire valley below including the town and the location where the Showcase is to be held in 2 days time. She stretches her arms and breathes in the fresh air. Delphox does the same.

"Isn't this nice Delphox? Breathing in the Clean fresh air while sitting in the lap of nature. No photo shoots, no fans, no cameras flashing. Just peace, quiet and harmony." Serena says while smiling.

"Del Delphox." Delphox replies.

"I only wish Ash was here." Serena says while opening a picnic box containing her Poke-puffs.

"Here you go Delphox. Have one. I made it just for you. With lots of tomato berries" Serena says while offering a Poke-puff to Delphox.

Delphox takes a bite. Upon eating it. It jumps in joy and then eats the entire remaining portion in the next gulp.

"I know it's been a long time. When we are training with the Dragon Emperor I don't get the time, energy or the means to make Poke puffs." Serena says while offering all her tomato berry flavored poke-puffs to Delphox. Suddenly Sylveon comes out of its Poke-ball.

"What is it Sylveon? Do you want to eat Poke-puffs too?" Serena asks. Sylveon however does not respond.

"U mm. Sylveon what is it?" Serena asks. Suddenly Sylveon starts running away.

"Sylveon wait for me. Where are you going?" Serena shouts as she runs after Sylveon with Delphox in suit.

 **(2 hours later back in KIP)**

"Well know you look like the handsome boy my Serena is dating." Grace says as she returns with Ash's formal clothes for the engagement.

"Thanks Grace." Ash replies while beaming. Delia too is beaming at Ash.

"Well why don't you try these clothes on? If there is any adjustment that needs to be made then we can get it adjusted by tomorrow." Grace says as she hands Ash his clothes.

"OK. Give me some time will you." Ash says.

"OK. The 2 of us will be in the cafeteria downstairs." Grace says while leaving with Delia.

"I will. Just one thing. Don't tell Serena I am here. I want to keep it a surprise." Ash says.

"Got it." Grace replies while giving Ash a thumbs up before turning around and leaving with Delia.

 **(15 Minutes Later)**

"Hey Ash so what of the clothes?" Grace asks Ash as he takes a seat next to Delia.

"Oh the clothes fit fine. No problem. Excellent selection. Now I see where Serena gets her sense of clothes from." Ash says while complimenting Grace.

Grace smiles on hearing that. Suddenly all of his old friends Gary, Brock, Paul, May, Dawn and Lucy along with Drew and Barry walk in.

"Hey Ashy boy. Long time no see." Gary says as he gives Ash a hug.

"Nice to see you to Gare Bear." Ash replies.

"Hey dude. What's up man." Brock says before hugging him.

"Good as always dude. So how are things with you and Lucy?" Ash asks.

"Going smooth like a butter." Brock replies.

"Hey Paul." Ash says. But Paul doesn't reply. Ash gets confused.

"Am I missing something here?" He whispers to Brock.

"Oh yeah. Almost 2 weeks back he had a battle with Serena and" Brock says before being cut of by Ash.

"I get it. No need to explain. He just needs time." Ash says to Brock before turning to May.

"May how are you? More importantly how are things going with you and Drew?" Ash asks.

"How did you know Drew and I were dating?" May asks.

"Easy. Your behavior is similar. Plus the band you both are wearing on your hand is the same which is a dead giveaway. Plus you are wearing the same perfume as well. Getting a little cozy with each other are we? " Ash says.

"Oh. That. It's just something we gave each other." Drew and May says in a nervous manner.

"Sure guys. I totally get you." Ash says while chuckling.

Everyone talks for a while. Then when the bell rings everyone leaves for their classes since their break is over.

"So Lucy how is your work going regarding setting up the Kalos Frontier System?" Ash asks Lucy.

"Well. So tell me where is that teacher of yours who has made you and Serena so strong that she literally left Paul with his teeth stuttering?" Lucy asks.

"Well he is well. But to tell the truth I don't know where he is at the moment? Listen I have an idea. Would you and Brock like to come to Serena's mater class performance in 2 days time?" Ash asks.

"Oh I would love to but Brock has an exam in 4 days and I have to meet with some Kalos Govt. officials in 2 days time so it will not be possible." Lucy says in a sad tone.

"Oh that's too bad. Serena would have liked if you and Brock would've come." Ash says.

"Maybe next time Ash. Well it was nice chatting with you but now I need to go. Bye Ash." Lucy says while getting up.

"OK. Bye Lucy." Ash says as she waves her goodbye.

'What do I do now? Grace has gone for her Rhyhorn Coaching class. Mom has gone for Pokemon Food Preparation class. Perhaps I can go and talk with Prof. Oak that is if he is free.' Ash thinks to himself while getting up. When he is walking he suddenly gets the feeling that someone is following him.

"Whoever you are. Come out." Ash says loudly. He sees a boy with green hair and small height with a notebook in his hand come out from behind a pillar.

"Hi." he nervously says.

"Hello. Who are you and why are you following me?" Ash asks.

"U mm. Please pardon me. I am Sawyer a new student here. I was wondering if I could have a battle with the KIP Champ." he replies nervously. Ash gets taken aback at this request.

"Do you want to challenge me for my title?" Ash asks.

"No no. I am not a very strong trainer. But I thought if I could battle with you I could learn a lot." Sawyer replies.

"Normally I wouldn't battle a cub like you but since I have nothing to do how about a 3 on 3 informal battle with no substitutions sound?" Ash says.

"You would battle me. Thank you so much." Sawyer replies with twinkling eyes before bowing his head.

"But." he begins.

"But what kid?" Ash asks.

"Where will we battle?" he asks.

"Oh we can go to the KIP stadium it will be completely empty. Let's go." Ash says.

"Oh. OK." Sawyer says.

 **(Meanwhile somewhere in the wilderness near Couriway town)**

"Sylveon why have you brought us here? More importantly what are you doing?" Serena asks as she and Delphox are panting from running continuously for such a long time. Sylveon however doesn't respond. It is simply looking at the entrance of the cave before which it has stopped. After waiting for a moment is starts walking inside.

"What is happening?" Serena says as she starts following Sylveon inside the cave.

 **(Back in KIP)**

"Alright. Then let's go." Ash says.

"I will choose first. Go Bagon." Sawyer says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Very well then Charizard I choose you." Ash says while tossing his Poke-ball.

"You may have the first move Sawyer." Ash says.

"Bagon use Hydro pump." Sawyer commands. The Hydro pump hits it's mark and causes a small explosion.

"Alright a direct hit." Sawyer says in an ecstatic tone. Ash however is calmly standing without giving the smallest of reactions. Sawyer's expression turns to one of shock when he finds Charizard standing unfazed by the attack.

"But Charizard is a Fire type. That should have done some damage." Sawyer says.

"Your Bagon has not been raised well at all. A weak attack like that won't even tickle my Charizard. What next." Ash says.

"U mm. In that case use Focus Energy followed by Zen headbutt." Sawyer says in a nervous tone.

"Dragon Rage." Ash lazily commands. The Dragon Rage meets it's mark causing an explosion which upon settling reveals a fainted Bagon. Sawyer is now shaking at the power Ash's Charizard has.

"Here are a few things to remember. First when facing a superior opponent like me it is always better to let that person select the Pokemon first so that you can select a more appropriate one later. Second when choosing a Pokemon along with type advantage and disadvantage you must take into account the level of the Pokemon and the trainer as well. By level I mean experience, endurance, evolutionary stage etc. Furthermore never attack recklessly like you did with Focus Energy and Zen Headbutt. Always make your next move with some sort of strategy in mind. Finally never let a battle get the better of your nerves. In a confused or scared state you will not be able to take right decisions in the heat of battle. Now your next Pokemon?" Ash says.

"OK. Thanks. Let me note all that down." Sawyer says while scribbling away.

"OK. My next choice is Clawitzer." Sawyer says.

"I see. By the look of it I can say that it is a little better trained than that Bagon of yours. I guess you have just caught Bagon. You may have the first move." Ash says.

"That right. OK Clawitzer use Aqua jet." Sawyer says.

"Fire Spin." Ash commands.

"Dodge it quick." Sawyer says. The Aqua jet avoids the Fire Spin and continues towards Charizard.

"Catch it then use Slash back to back." Ash says. Sawyer's eye widen as he sees his Clawitzer's Aqua Jet stopped and Clawitzer pelted with back to back Slash attacks.

"Counter with Crab Hammer." Sawyer says.

"Dragon Claw finish it." Ash commands.

Another explosion takes place showing a fainted Clawitzer.

Sawyer returns Clawitzer and sees Ash chuckling.

"What's funny?" Sawyer asks.

"Nothing. I am just glad to see that you listened to my advice when you had Clawitzer dodge my Charizard's Fire Spin and when you did not panic after being your Clawitzer got attacked by back to back Slash attacks and ordering a Crab Hammer. You are a quick learner. If you train hard and focus you can go far. Now your last Pokemon?" Ash asks.

"U mm. Grovyle lets go." Sawyer says.

"A Grovyle. Interesting choice. I see that you are from the Hoenn region." Ash says.

"How do you know that?" Sawyer asks in bewilderment.

"Simple. Grovyle evolves from Treecko which is one of the Hoenn starters. Furthermore you know it has a huge type disadvantage not to mention level disadvantage as well. But still you used it. A beginner trainer like you can only show this kind of faith in his starter Pokemon." Ash replies.

"That's amazing. You got all that from 1 look!" Sawyer says in amazement.

Ash chuckles then says "You can admire me all you want later but for now why don't you start of the battle?"

"Grovyle Razor leaf." Sawyer says.

Ash says nothing. On contact with Charizard's body the razor leaf simply shred into pieces with Charizard not even feeling a tickle.

"Use Leaf Storm." Sawyer says.

Ash again says nothing. This time also Charizard takes no damage but Leaf Storm being more powerful than Razor Leaf does push Charizard back a bit.

"Solar Beam." Sawyer says.

"Flamethrower." Ash commands. Both beams meet in midair causing an explosion. The result is a tie.

"Not bad. Being able to stop my Charizard's flamethrower with Solar Beam is no small feat. Now you have one last time to attack before I finish the battle. I suggest you make it count." Ash says.

"Use Leech Seed followed by bullet seed." Sawyer says.

"Finish it with Overheat." Ash commands. A huge explosion takes place revealing a fainted Grovyle.

"Grovyle return." Sawyer says in a beat down tone.

"Not bad. You have much potential. Keep training and trying. Challenge me again sometime." Ash says before turning around and walking away. Sawyer looks at Ash with twinkle in his eyes.

'I promise I will.' he thinks to himself as Ash goes out of his sight.


	48. A Master Surprise

**(Next Morning)**

"Alright Ash. In 2 hours time we will be in Couriway Town for the master class. I talked with Palermo last evening. She told me Serena is excited for her master class." Grace says while walking with Sycamore, Delia, Oak and Ash who is carrying everyone's luggage.

"Welcome aboard my private jet. Make yourselves comfortable." Diantha says as one by one everyone enters the plane.

"It's nice but I prefer Serena's." Ash says after glancing at the interior for a while.

"Of course you do." Grace says while winking at Ash causing him to chuckle at the memory of his last plane ride with Serena.

"Steven, Lance, Alder it seems that you guys are coming as well." Ash says as he sees the 3 of them seated

"Of course. We are. Palermo graciously invited us. Besides it will be my first live performance. So I had to come." Alder says while smiling gently.

"Same goes for us." Lance says without giving the slightest of reactions.

"Good to see you too Ash." Steven says while smiling.

Ash smiles then calmly walks over to his seat. Takes of his shoes. He folds his legs and then sits on them. He places his hands on his kneecaps. Then he simply closes his eyes and starts meditating. Everyone especially Grace and Delia get taken aback at this.

"What is Ash doing?" Cynthia asks as she comes out of the washroom.

"Meditating." Alder replies to everyone's surprise.

"Meditating! I thought he was napping. Since when did Ash start meditating?" Grace says.

"I don't know. Let's ask him." Delia says. She is about to ask Ash when suddenly Alder stops her.

He says "Meditation requires focus and quiet. It's best not to disturb him. We can always ask him when he is finished." Alder says. Delia is about to protest but she decides against it.

"Everyone take your seats. The plane is about to take off." Seibold says as he comes out of the pilot's cabin.

Everyone takes their seats and sits in silence. But there is only one thing on everyone's mind. That is Ash meditating on the flight.

 **(1 hour later)**

Everyone is sitting in silence. Everyone is staring at Ash.

"How long will it take?" Cynthia mouths to Diantha who shrugs her shoulders to indicate she doesn't know.

Cynthia gets up and is about to ask Ash when suddenly Ash replies to everyone's surprise.

"Patience, Champion, is a virtue without which you will not be able to beat my master." Ash says moments before opening his eyes.

"U mm. How did you know that I was going to ask you something?" Cynthia asks in a confused state.

"Easy. I heard you talking to Diantha." Ash replies while getting up and then sitting on his seat in a normal way.

"But I whispered. Even Alder who was next to me couldn't hear me." Cynthia replies in a flabbergasted manner.

"Of course. He couldn't. But I could. It's all a matter or focus." Ash replies. Everyone glances at each other unsure of what to say.

"What do you mean by focus?" Lance asks.

Ash chuckles and then closes his eyes before saying "Throughout the universe there is a certain flow to the energy of things. If one is calm and focused like still water one can train his senses to see and perceive things in a way he otherwise cannot."

Nobody says anything. Everyone is trying to digest Ash's words while Ash is quietly chuckling to himself.

"Yeah right. Sure." Steven says in a sarcastic tone before turning away.

Ash smiles and says "Alright then. A small demonstration." before picking up a knife kept on the table along with other cutlery in front of him. Everyone except Steven is watching in pin drop silence. Steven is tossing an apple in his left hand repeatedly to pass time.

Ash closes his eyes then tosses the knife up. Everyone gets shocked at this except Steven who isn't looking. Ash's eyes are still closed as the knife is falling down. At that every moment Steven tosses his apple up. Suddenly Ash's extends his right hand forward and catches the knife with it. He pauses for a second. Then suddenly he sends it in the direction of Steven like a hurtling spear. Everyone gets shocked at what just happened. Moments before the apple is about to land onto Steven's palm the knife comes out of nowhere and skewers the apple in midair. The knife along with the apple gets stuck on the wall with it's tip still vibrating from the collision with the wall. No one says a thing as Ash calmly opens his eyes while Steven is looking flabbergasted.

"What the hell Ash you could have hurt me." Steven says.

"Relax. I had everything under control." Ash says as he picks up a apple and takes a bite.

"How did you do that? You weren't looking." Lance asks. Ash smiles and gets up.

"I already told you before." Ash says before covering the apple on his right hand with the left one. Then he tosses the apple to Lance.

Lance looks puzzled. Then he asks "Why are you giving me your apple?"

Ash chuckles and says "Take a closer look."

Lance then inspects the apple for a moment then he shouts "Wait a minute where are the bite marks? You just took a bite." Ash then smiles and then holds up another apple with a bite mark in it.

"How?" Lance ask in disbelief as Ash starts walking to the washroom.

"I already told you how. Your eyes can deceive you. Remember that Lance." Ash says as he walks away. No one says a word.

"What happened to my baby boy?" Delia whispers to Grace who holds her hand for support because she knows how much Ash and Serena have changed during her absence. Everyone else it taking it better but Lance is in deep thought.

"Lance you look troubled? Anything particular on your mind?" Diantha asks.

"Yes. I was just thinking." Lance replies.

"What?" Cynthia asks.

"If the student is this skilled then do we really stand a chance at beating the master?" Lance says. Everyone on hearing that gets engrossed in deep thought.

 **(1 hour Later)**

"Surprise." Ash shouts as he jumps in front of Serena.

"Ash what are you doing here?" Serena says as she tackles him into a hug.

"Did you really think I would miss your master class?" Ash asks before kissing his girlfriend.

"But what about your training?" Serena says after separating for air.

"Dragon Emperor let me off. Now come everyone is waiting." Ash says as he takes Serena's hand.

"Alright. Let's go." Serena says.

5 minutes later Serena is being hugged Grace and Delia. She is also greeted by everyone else. Suddenly she remembers something. She turns to Ash and asks hims "Where is the Dragon Emperor Ash?"

"Oh he is busy. But he sends his compliments." Ash says as he bring out a letter. Serena opens and reads the letter. She smiles after she finishes reading it. Then she places her finger onto a particular spot on the paper and gives a small rub. She immediately lets go of the paper. Before the paper can fall to the ground it bursts into flames and then gets reduced to dust which gets swept away by the wind to the surprise of everyone.

'So this is the letter burning about which Clemont told us when he was first interrogated by Diantha and Cynthia. Very clever Dragon Emperor. This way you can pass information without the chance of it being intercepted.' Lance thinks to himself as Ash hands Serena a pen drive which catches Lance's attention.

"Guys we have something to do. We will see you later." Ash says as he runs off with Serena. After they have left Lance nods at one of his G Men who is disguised himself in plain clothes. He nods back and then starts to trail after the two.

"What was in the pen drive? I wonder?" Cynthia asks Diantha.

"Who knows what was in it? Lets go back to the hotel to get something to eat first." Lance says to everyone's agreement.

 **(Next Day)**

"Welcome one. Welcome all. I am Monsieur Pierre your host. Welcome to this year's master class. In this Master Class we shall see the current Kalos Queen Serena Yvonne defend her title. Now please join me in giving a warm welcome to Serena." Pierre says as suddenly fireworks erupt behind him. The stage goes dark. Then suddenly a light flashes revealing Serena in a beautiful dress. She is wearing a reddish pink dress with stripes of white providing a strong contrast. She is also wearing a blue ribbon which Ash gave her before she came back from the Hoeen region as a symbol of his love. Serena walks up to Pierre and takes the microphone from him.

"Thank you everyone. I am Serena, your Kalos Queen. I am overwhelmed by the number of people in attendance at today's Master Class and all those people who are cheering and supporting us. The love you all have for Pokemon Performing is a sight to behold. Please accept my thanks for your spectacular support." Serena says before giving a bow. The crowd erupts in cheers and standing ovation with several people whistling.

"Today we are here for the master class. I extend my best wishes to all the Pokemon performers who have managed to earn the right to compete in the master class. I wish all of them the very best. I hope everyone enjoys the evening. May the best performer win." Serena says before handing the mike to Pierre and walking away to her allocated seat.

"Thank you for your kind and caring words Kalos queen. Now today we have a fight between 16 performers who have earned the right to compete in the master class. At the end of the tournament one performer will get the chance to challenge Serena for her title of revered Kalos Queen. Now let us begin." Pierre says as he gestures to a board where the Performers are being sorted in random order for their performances.

 **(45 Minutes Later)**

"The winner of the tournament is Performer Shauna. She will now get the chance to challenge the current Kalos Queen Serena for her title." Pierre says as the final votes are cast in for the final round.

Serena gets up from her seat. She walks towards Shauna while clapping and then extends her hand.

"Congratulations Shauna. I thought you would win. Best of Luck." Serena says while smiling.

"I won't go easy on you just because you are my friend Serena." Shauna says while smiling.

"Of course not. I won't have it any other way." Serena says before walking away.

"Now we have a showdown between Shauna and Serena. Performers are permitted to use up to 5 Pokemon. Alright people get ready for Shauna's performance." Pierre says as the stage becomes dark. Suddenly the lights flash and music starts as Shauna comes into view along with Ivysaur, Flabebe and Swirlix.

"Alright. Flabebe use Sweet Scent and Ivysaur use Vine-Whip." Shauna says.

Flabebe uses Sweet Scent and goes around in a circle with Ivysaur using Vine-Whip to hold Shauna in the air to follow the pink trail of the Sweet Scent.

"Now Flabebe use Attract. Ivysaur use Petal Dance." Shauna says. The hearts from the attract and the petals from the Petal Dance create a lovely shower which falls down on Shauna as she is dancing on the floor.

"Alright let's wrap this up." Shauna says after doing a few acrobatics.

"Ivysaur use Solar Beam and Flabebe use Moon Blast." Shauna says. Both beams collide in midair creating sparkles which shower on Shauna as she strikes her final finishing pose. There is a lot of clapping in the audience as Shauna bows her head and walks off.

"That was indeed magnificent. Now give a warm welcome for the one who is competing to defend her title for Kalos Queen, Serena." Pierre says before walking away.

A song starts playing the and a tapping sound can be heard on the dark stage. Suddenly the light comes on showing Serena with her Pancham, Alolan Ninetales, Delphox and Sylveon.

"Delphox use Mystical Fire, Pancham use Dark Pulse and Sylveon use Swift." Serena says. The three beams combine and shower glitters over Serena and Ninetales who are dancing elegantly on the floor.

"Pancham use Stone Edge." Serena says. Suddenly shiny bluish stone pillars appear in a circular manner.

"Fairy Wind Sylveon. Ninetales you know what to do." Serena says as she, Delphox and Pancham start flying in mid air due to the fairy wind as Ninetales jumps inside the Stone Edge pillar wall hidden from sight.

 **(In the VIP Viewing Area)**

"I have never seen this routine before. Plus what music is that? I have never heard it either." Palermo says in a slightly worried expression.

"Don't worry Palermo. From the looks of the audience I don't think Serena will have any problem winning." Diantha says as she points to the crowd who is spellbound by Serena's mid air waltz with Delphox and Pancham.

"Indeed. The performance is unlike anything I have seen before. The music elevates it to a different level." Cynthia says.

"And you can thank the Dragon Emperor for that." Ash says to everyone's surprise.

"What does he have to do with this?" Lance asks.

"Dragon Emperor himself composed the music track which is playing right now. The track was in the pen drive I had got. We went back to the room and Serena reworked her entire performance around it." Ash says with a proud face.

Everyone gets shocked on hearing that with Lance and Palermo in particular. Palermo is not happy that Serena changed her entire performance on someone else's wishes. Lance on the other hand is disappointed to learn that his G Man will find nothing from the pen drive in Ash and Serena's room.

"Alright. Now Serena is going to end her performance. You will enjoy this. I promise." Ash says as he motions everyone to focus their attention back to the stage.

 **(On the Stage)**

"Sylveon you know what to do." Serena says.

Sylveon stops fairy wind. Serena starts falling down only to land on something in the middle of the Stone Edge pillars. This causes confusion in the audience as they can't understand on what Serena is standing on.

"Sylveon, Pancham time to wrap this up." Serena says.

Sylveon and Pancham start to jump from one Stone Edge pillar to the next making them disappear one by one. When all the pillars disappear everyone is shocked by what they see. Serena is skillfully balanced herself on top of a spherical Ice Chandelier created by Ninetales which was hidden from view by the Stone Edge pillars. Delphox is using Willow-Wisp and Mystical Fire from behind the Chandelier making colorful lights glow from it. Pancham is posing elegantly on the left of the chandelier, Sylveon on the right of the chandelier while Ninetales is elegantly posing right in front of the chandelier.

"And we're finished." Serena says while striking her characteristic finish pose as Pancham's Dark Pulse and Sylveon's Moon Blast collide above her showering sparkles at the big finish.

For a moment there is stunned silence in the crowd. Then suddenly their is ear splitting standing ovation as the whole hall erupt in cheer at this unique yet fascinating performance.

 **(In the** **VIP Viewing Area)**

Everyone in the VIP Box is also giving Serena a standing ovation. Ash, Grace and Delia are shouting themselves hoarse. Palermo and the others are clapping hard with tears trickling from their eyes.

"She did it." Ash shouts as he hugs Grace and Delia tightly. All 3 of them wipe their tears of joy while laughing at the same time.

 **(2 Minutes Later)**

"That was an extraordinary performance by Serena. Now audience please cast your votes by clicking the glow casters." Pierre says as the room goes dark and spherical lights emerge from hundreds of glow casters. A few moments later the light comes back on the stage. Pierre walks on to the stage and says "The winner of this year's Master Class and retaining her title as Kalos Queen is Serena." Pierre says as he places a crown on Serena's head and the entire crowd bursts into applause. Suddenly a man comes onto the stage and whispers something into Pierre's ear. Pierre nods as he listens and then man goes away.

"Also I have been informed that Serena has not only won the title she has also reset the record of the retaining the position of Kalos Queen by the largest margin. The previous record was set by her mentor Palermo years ago who won by a margin of 10.45%. Serena has beaten the record and set a new high of 26.57% margin. Please give another round of applause for your Kalos Queen Serena." Pierre says as the audience once again cheers for their Kalos Queen while Serena is looking shocked at this new revelation.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Serena that was incredible." Ash says as he hugs Serena and then lift her in the air while doing full rotation before placing her back on the floor.

"I wouldn't have been able to do it if you hadn't given me the idea of an Ice Chandelier yesterday." Serena says before kissing Ash in front of the entire crowd of reporters. Ash and Serena then turn to face the cameras and then give a blush. Within moments they get swamped by reporters who are asking them a barrage of questions which Ash and Serena are more than happy to answer.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

"Alright. Let's go and meet them. I can't wait to congratulate Serena." Diantha says to everyone's agreement as the security staff are removing the reporters from the premises.

Grace smiles on hearing that. She bends down to pick up her fallen coat. She picks it up and looks up to receive a shock. She observes that the Dragon Emperor has been watching Ash and Serena from the discrete dark corner of the balcony seats. Grace doesn't react so as to ensure no one else gets suspicious. She whispers something in Delia's ear. Delia gets shocked on hearing that but then gives a nod.

"Are you coming?" Cynthia says while smiling.

"Of course. We are. We just need to use the washroom. You guys go ahead we'll catch up." Grace says as she and Delia run of in the opposite direction towards the stairs leading to the balcony seats.

Dragon Emperor is walking through a supposedly empty corridor when suddenly he hears a voice.

"Stop." Grace says as she and Delia come running. Dragon Emperor turns around.

"I was hoping to avoid being seen. But if I may ask what are you two doing here instead of celebrating with your children?" Dragon Emperor asks in a pleasant tone.

"Grace saw you. We wanted to ask you something?" Delia says.

"Oh is that right. I am pleased to be made your acquaintance Mrs. Ketchum." Dragon Emperor says.

"All I want to ask you is that what have you done to my Ash and Serena?" Delia asks in a loud tone.

"I have done nothing to them." Dragon Emperor replies.

"That's not true. My Ash has changed. My youthful, excited little lump of joy is gone. He has changed and it's all because of your training." Delia says with tears coming to her eyes.

"I understand your concern and feelings. But this is all a part of the cycle of growing up. Besides are you not happy with the progress that Ash and Serena have made under my tutelage?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"I am but." Delia says.

"But nothing. You will have to be patient to see what Ash and Serena will grow into." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Why were you watching from the shadows? Ash and Serena don't even know you were watching them." Grace asks.

"That is because they don't need me around. This is their night of enjoyment. They don't need me to be present and spoil the fun. Excess of everything is bad. That includes the time spent in the company of a teacher as well. It is important for their training that they be given breaks so that they can effectively benefit from it." Dragon Emperor says.

"About that training. I have a question." Grace says.

"Please ask away." Dragon Emperor replies.

"What is your relationship to Ash and Serena?" Grace asks.

"What do you mean?" Dragon Emperor replies.

"Today Ash told me that the music that was playing in Serena's performance was composed by you. No one does this much for a student as you do. People only do this when they are related to one another." Grace says. Dragon Emperor smiles on hearing that to Grace's confusion.

"Why are you smiling?" Grace asks.

"Nothing. The similarity you and your daughter possess is remarkable. Something to be admired." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Thanks for the compliment but you still haven't answered my question about why you are trying so hard for Ash and Serena's sake. What do they mean to you?" Grace says.

"They are important to me. As for why I try so hard I have my reasons." Dragon Emperor says. Grace is about to say something when she is stopped by Dragon Emperor's raised hand.

"Let me finish please." He says to which Delia and Grace nod.

"When you first talked with me you asked me what I wanted to do with them. Correct?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Yes I did . Are you going to tell us now?" Grace replies in a hopeful tone.

"No I will not. You will have to bear with the burden of a secret a little longer. But for now know this. Your daughter and her son are destined for greatness. There will come a time when I shall explain everything to you. But till the time is right I will need you to keep your faith in me." Dragon Emperor says before turning around.

"But." Delia says before getting cutoff by Dragon Emperor.

"You should go and celebrate. Soon they will again have to leave with me for their training. Then you won't get to see them or hear their voice for a long while. I suggest you make the most of this opportunity." Dragon Emperor says before walking away.

"Wait. I am not finished with you yet." Delia says as she runs after him.

Dragon Emperor however ignores Delia and then takes a turn. Moments later Delia and Grace take the same turn to find a dead end with no trace of the Dragon Emperor.

"Where did he go?" Delia asks Grace who is looking as flabbergasted as her.


	49. An Elegant Celebration

Delia and Grace are walking back to join Ash and Serena while Dragon Emperor is silently observing them from a remote dark corner. Upon seeing them leave he chuckles to himself and then turns about to leave as well.

"Well I must say I am extremely proud of you Serena. Beating my record and setting a new one that is more than twice my record is remarkable." Palermo says as Grace and Delia arrive.

"Mom! Where were you? Did you like my performance?" Serena says after tackling Grace into a hug.

"Of course I loved it sweet heart. It was one of your best performances yet. I have never seen you looking better." Grace says to Serena's delight.

"But tell my Serena how were you able to balance yourself on that slippery spherical Ice Chandelier? It has been bugging me for some time." Diantha asks.

"Oh that is because of the training Dragon Emperor gave me regarding finding my true focus, precision and balance." Serena replies.

"Is that so? What kind of training was this?" Lance asks in an inquisitive tone hoping to learn more about Dragon Emperor.

"I would love to chat further but this is not the place to do so. Palermo just talked to the Manager at Le Cirque. He has booked the entire upper for our evening. Let's go to the airport, get to Lumiose city and then talk." Serena says.

"Alright let's go." Ash says in an excited way at the prospect of delicious food.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu replies with a thumbs up who is comfortably curled in his favorite position which is Serena's hands.

"Let's go." Serena says as she runs out with Ash, Grace and Delia.

"Well might as well go. We don't have anything else to do." Cynthia says with a smile.

"After you." Diantha says as everyone else leaves as well.

 **(15 Minutes Later)**

"You and Ash go on your plane. The rest of us will manage in Palermo and Diantha's plane." Grace says while walking away with Delia.

"OK then. I can't wait to spend some alone time with you." Ash says as he takes Serena's hand.

"Me too." Serena says. She is about to kiss Ash when suddenly a Fletchling comes out of nowhere and drops a letter in front of Pikachu along with 2 Poke-balls and a little pouch.

"About time. Looks like congratulations have arrived." Ash says before picking up the letter and pouch and then handing both over to Serena.

"Let's go inside and read this." Serena says before she climbs the ramp and enters her plane followed by Pikachu and Ash.

"Lance will want to know about this." A G-man disguised as a Airport worker says to himself as he takes out what appears to be a pager like device and types something in it.

 **(Inside the Plane)**

"That will be all for now. Just leave me and Ash alone like before. Don't forget to give Pikachu a ketchup bottle." Serena says to her air hostess who bows her head, locks the door and leaves the duo in silence.

"What does the letter say?" Ash says in a curious tone.

"Hold on to your horses Ash. Let me first open it." Serena says as she opens her letter.

"Alright here goes." Serena says as she starts reading.

* * *

Congratulations on winning your Master Class. Of course having a Pokemon Master as your teacher literally guarantees you victory but still well done. You showed exceptional grace and kindness via your performance. Most importantly you kept in mind the key to victory in a Pokemon Showcase which I had told you about.

As a reward I have got you an interesting Pokemon from the Alola region. It is a Dominant Grass and Ghost type and Recessive Flying type Pokemon called Decidueye. Also for Ash I have got a Litten which is a Dominant Fire and Recessive Dark type Pokemon. You will start training with these Pokemon as well. Furthermore in the pouch that you have just received there some Pokemon Specific Z crystals. There is a Pikanium Z, Snorlium Z, Lycanium Z and Incinium Z for Ash. For you there is an Ninetalium Z and Decidium Z. With these you will be able to perform Pokemon specific Z moves. However you will need a little training before you can actually use these crystals properly. But that is a matter for later. Continue with mastering Mega Evolution and perfecting the poses for the Type Specific Z moves(in secret). Till I give the word you will only use Mega Evolution in battle if need be. You will not perform Z moves yet for there is still much to learn for you.

However moving on to a more important topic. Tell the champions that I have given them enough time to prepare for their battle. Tell them that they will have a battle with me within this week. After the battle with the Champions I shall test you in a battle as well. It will be you and Ash vs me. I shall test your teamwork, power, speed, precision , ability to think on your feet, reaction to pressure etc. So after enjoying tonight please inform the champions and start training as well. Of course don't over exert yourselves. Remind Ash once again not to use Charizardite Z without my express permission.

Dragon Emperor

* * *

"Cool." Serena says after she has rubs her finger on a spot on the letter and the letter once again is reduced to dust.

"Excellent now that that is out of the way time to get busy by giving the Queen her reward." Ash says before kissing Serena on her neck and running his hands over her body.

"Ash you sly fox." Serena says before giggling and grabbing his head, pulling him onto the couch and making out with him intensely. They make out passionately as the plane starts taking off. The higher the plane climbs the more number of clothes get piled on the floor.

"Since it is the month end and also the day I won the Master Class so no protection as a special treat." Serena says as she gives Ash a seductive smirk causing him to latch himself onto her and kiss her like there is no tomorrow.

 **(40 Minutes Later)**

"That feels so good." Serena says as she can feel a warm oozy sensation inside her. Ash collapses onto the floor beside the couch and tries to catch his breath.

"I guess we should thank Dragon Emperor for training us so that we can maintain a good pace be it during practice or while having sex." Ash says in a sarcastic way before giving a chuckle.

"I agree." Serena says as she climbs on top of Ash eager to go for a second round.

"Serena I just cummed I won't have an erection so soon." Ash says.

"Oh Ash. Let's see if I can do something about that." Serena says as she gives Ash a kiss which he is happy to return.

"Looks like you found some backup batteries. Good because I just don't get enough of your cock with all the intense exhausting training we do with Dragon Emperor." Serena says while smirking after she feels something hard,desirable and familiar.

"Babe I am tired. I don't know how well I will be able to please you. But I will try" Ash says as he holds Serena's waists.

"No problem. You just leave everything to me." Serena says as she starts to jump up and down.

"Oh Arceus. Just like that." Ash says as he starts moaning at the sensation.

 **(1 hour 20 minutes later)**

"Alright Ash let's go. Come on Pikachu." Serena says as Pikachu jumps onto his favorite position in Serena's hands.

"Le Cirque. Here we come." Ash says as he gets into Serena's Limousine.

"Le Cirque. Pronto Harry." Serena says as puts Pikachu on the seat and takes out her phone to see any new messages have come.

"We will be in Le Cirque within 20 minutes. Till then make yourselves decent. You don't want the press to photograph you in that shabby ruffled hair state would you now. Next time make yourselves decent after you fool around with each other." Harry says to Ash and Serena's embarrassment.

"Luckily for you two there are some emergency items in the car including a mirror and a comb along with some perfume. Now make yourselves useful." Harry says as the Limousine he is driving exits the Lumiose City Airport.

"Thanks Harry. I don't know what we would do without you." Ash says as he hands the comb to Serena whose hair looks like it has been through a rough ride.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

"A toast. To the Kalos Queen who has made all of us proud. The girl of the hour who has beaten my record and set a new one. I have never been more proud of anyone ever before. To Serena." Palermo says as she raises her glass of champagne.

"To Serena." Everyone else says in unison as they toast to Serena's victory.

"Alright everyone. This night is a night of celebration so let's dance." Grace says.

Ash leaves with Serena, Grace with Sycamore, Diantha with Lance, Cynthia with Steven, Seibold with Delia, Wikstrom with Drasna and Alder with Palermo.

The music is about to begin when suddenly Brock walks in with Lucy, Clemont with Korrina, May with Drew and Paul walks in with Dawn. Bonnie also walks in with Dedenne.

"Sorry for the delay guys. Got stuck in traffic." Brock says while sweat dropping.

"Not to worry guys. Better late than never. Glad you could make it. Join in." Serena says seconds before the orchestra music starts. It is a slowly dreamy music. Everyone is waltzing slowly and gracefully. The atmosphere is serene and blissful. People who aren't dancing are simply listening to the divine music. Some are tapping their feet to go with the relaxed beats of the music while others are sipping champagne with their eyes closed at the soulful music. Everyone is dancing elegantly but of course Ash and Serena are standing out as the star couple.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

Everyone claps the moment the orchestra finishes playing their piece for the night. After a few minutes everyone settles down and waiters start carrying dish after dish to everyone's delight.

"Congratulations Serena. We watched your Master Class performance. It was out of this world." Dawn says.

"Thank you Dawn. Coming from you it means a lot." Serena replies with a smile.

"On a more serious note. How are things going with Paul?" Serena whispers to Dawn to ensure Paul can't hear her.

"Oh he is fine. After the last battle he was shaken for a couple of days but he is back to normal now. Plus for some reason it seems that losing to you made him let his guard down and let me in. He is much more open and understanding now. So in a way I owe you one." Dawn whispers back with a wink. Serena instantly smiles on hearing that. Then she turns to Korrina who is sitting between her and Bonnie.

"Korrina. Good to see you. How are you?" Serena says before hugging her.

"Oh Serena good to see you too. Grandpa called me today to congratulate you on his behalf." Korrina says after separating.

"That's nice to hear. Tell your Grandpa we shall meet someday soon. Listen I heard that Valerie has launched a new line of clothes. Is it true?" Serena asks.

"Yes it is. She told me 2 days ago herself when she called me." Korrina replied.

"Why did she call you?" Serena asks.

"Oh well she is holding a charity fashion show in Lumiose city tomorrow evening. She wanted me to model. She was also going to call you as well but I told her not to distract you from your Masterclass preparation." Korrina replies.

"I see. What did you tell her?" Serena asks.

"Oh nothing. I refused. I told her I was not interested in this kind of stuff." Korrina replies before taking a sip of champagne.

"Well I have nothing to do tomorrow. Neither do you. I guess we both could work something out Valerie." Serena says before taking a sip of water.

"But I don't want to model." Korrina says.

"Sure sure. It's just that I thought Clemont would like to see you in a model outfit. You know. I know Ash would love to see me that way." Serena says in a smirking tone. On hearing that Korrina flushes a shade of red.

"Well I suppose it couldn't hurt to model once." Korrina says. The moment she says that Serena bursts out laughing only to be joined by Korrina.

"Speaking of Clemont. That reminds me. How are things going with you and Clemont?" Serena asks after laughing her heart out.

"Oh great. In fact last night we took our relationship to new heights." Korrina says.

"Really. How did it happen?" Serena asks in an inquisitive tone.

"Well let's just say his study desk is quite sturdy." Korrina replies while giggling.

"Ash and I have never used a desk before." Serena says in a interested tone.

"Wait a second how do you use a desk to take a relationship to new heights?" Bonnie asks in a confused tone who has been eavesdropping on the entire conversation all this while. Both Serena and Korrina sweat drop on realizing that Bonnie was also sitting next to them.

"U mm . Nothing Bonnie. Why don't you go and play with Sylveon?" Serena says quickly as she tosses a Poke-ball.

"That's fine Serena. But you didn't answer my question." Bonnie says.

"Bonnie. You should know better than to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. It's rude. Now go play with Sylveon." Korrina says in a firm elder sister fashion. Bonnie pouts for a moment "Saying you are no fun." before running off to play with Sylveon.

"That was rather irresponsible of us. Even though she is young and a shade too mischievous for her own good." Serena says as Bonnie runs off.

"Yup. But I must say I am rather envious of Clemont for having such a lovely younger sibling." Korrina says before smiling.

"I guess you must be having a blast bonding with Bonnie then." Serena says.

"Yup. Couldn't be happier. Even Lucario likes playing with Bonnie." Korrina replies.

 **(Meanwhile a few seats away)**

"So Ash how does it feel to be dating the Kalos Queen?" Brock says.

"She's the best thing that has ever happened to me. How are things with you and Lucy?" Ash asks.

"Well they have been going good but." Brock says before his voice trails off.

"But what?" Ash asks.

"It's just that she wants to have sex with me but I am freaking out at the prospect of actually having sex with a girl." Brock whispers back in a nervous fashion. Ash on hearing that bursts into laughter.

"Oh Brock. Just go with it. It's a little awkward at first but I tell you there is nothing better in this world." Ash replies.

"So I take it you and Serena have done it already." Brock says.

"Oh yeah. Many times now. In fact a lot less than what we would like to do." Ash replies with a rather proud face.

"Oh by the way tell Serena that Gary sends his congratulations as well." Brock says as he remembers something.

"Where is Gare Bear by the way?" Ash asks after taking a look around.

"Oh Gary went to the Sinnoh region for some field work couple of weeks back. He will be back in 2 days." Brock replies.

"Well here's to us then. Two guys with 2 sexy life partners." Ash says while picking up his glass of champagne for a toast.

"Hear Hear." Brock replies as he toasts with his glass as well.

"So Ash tell me how is your training going with that guy who beat Diantha with a Raichu? You and Serena are training with him right." Brock asks in a more serious tone.

"That reminds me. May I have your attention everyone." Ash says in a loud tone catching everyone's attention.

"First of all I would like to thank everyone for being present here to celebrate Serena's win. It means a great deal to both of us." Ash says before pausing while everyone else is clapping.

"However on a more serious note. I have a message for the champions from the Dragon Emperor." Ash says in a serious tone causing the entire room to go silent.

"What message?" Lance asks as all the champions including him stand up.

"Are you still interested in a battle?" Ash asks.

"Of course we are. We have been training hard. We will win this time." Cynthia replies.

"Very well then. The match will he held any time after the next 3 days. That is if you are brave enough to face him." Serena says while getting up.

"Very well then. Tell him the match will be held at this weekend on Saturday. The conditions he set for the battle still stand." Diantha replies.

"Very well then. Best of luck. You will need it. We know we will." Serena says.

"What do you mean you will?" Diantha asks.

"After battling you he shall test the 2 of us as well." Ash replies to everyone's surprise.

"Whoa. Are you 2 seriously going to battle him." Paul asks.

"Yes we are. So cheer for us guys." Serena says.

"We will but be careful everyone. That man is a powerful trainer." Oak says in a serious tone.

"You don't need to tell us that Prof. Oak. We know that." Lance replies.

"We have been training hard for months now. We won't lose." Alder says.

"You confidence is admirable just don't underestimate him. He is not one who will lose so easily." Ash says as he sits down.

"But enough of that. Let's enjoy the night for the moment." Serena says to everyone's agreement.


	50. A Fierce Clash

**(4 days Later)**

There is stunned silence in the stadium. All the champions along with Ash and Serena are waiting in the battlefield for the Dragon Emperor to arrive. The entire stadium is jam packed. Media reporters from all over the world are present in KIP to shoot what many are calling the battle of the century. All the elite four, gym leaders, frontier brains from all the regions are present as well. All the Prof. and members of the Pokemon International League are also present. After all not everyday do you see a sight like this. All around the world the eyes of almost everyone is pinned to their TV screens.

All the champions are getting impatient by the minute. Ash and Serena on the other hand are calmly awaiting their master's arrival. Suddenly Lance's pager vibrates. He takes it out to see a message flashing on it. He reads it, puts the pager back inside his robe and says "He's here."

Everyone nods on hearing that and turns to look at the other end of the arena. Slowly but surely they see him approaching them. All the champions take a deep reinforcing breathe to calm themselves. All of them look passively as they see Dragon Emperor approaching them taking small footsteps towards them as if the footsteps of doom.

His eyes are closed, his head bent down a little. There is a calm calculating serious expression adorned on his face. His very style of walking is sending feelings of chill down the champions' spine. Even Lance who is used to dealing with criminals is actually starting to shake at Dragon Emperor's presence. Ash and Serena are not shaking but they can sense the champions' condition.

'The way he is walking. Just like a fierce Pyroar on a hunt.' Diantha thinks to herself as she struggles to keep her teeth from chattering. Dragon Emperor comes to a halt before the champions. He suddenly opens his eyes causing all the champions to gulp and flinch. Dragon Emperor looks at all of them.

Then he chuckles and says "So how are my fearless champions today? All set for your battle?" in a somewhat sarcastic fashion.

"We are. This time you will regret underestimating us." Cynthia says in a sudden brave tone. Seeing her confidence the remaining champions put aside their shaking and put on a serious expression as well.

"Good. Then let us begin." Dragon Emperor says before giving a smile. The smile sends chills down the champions' spines as they can remember it as the expression Dragon Emperor bore just before he started the real battle with Diantha after saying "Careful Champion. Pride comes before the fall."

"I assume your terms still stand?" Diantha says in a somewhat shaky voice.

"Yes they do. But just in case let's hear the rules again. This will be a 1 on 6 battle. Each trainer shall have the use of 1 Pokemon each. No substitutions allowed by using your Poke-balls. All moves are permitted. Furthermore only the champions will be allowed to Mega Evolve their Pokemon. No time limit." Dragon Emperor says.

"Agreed. If you say so." Cynthia says.

"There is however an additional condition." Dragon Emperor says to the confusion of everyone.

""What condition?" Lance asks in a loud tone.

"The condition is this. Regardless of the outcome of the battle the champions will retain their title of champion after the battle is over. Do you accept?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Why are you concerned about our titles?" Lance asks.

"That is none of your concern. But this is the condition. Do you accept?" Dragon Emperor says in a dismissive fashion.

All the champions look at each other with confused looks. They take a moment then they nod in unison.

"Very well then. Ash and Serena. Your battle will be after their battle. Go and wait." Dragon Emperor says. Both Ash and Serena nod as they wish the champions best of luck and walk off.

"Now that Ash and Serena are out of the way. Without further ado. Raichu go." Dragon Emperor says while tossing it's Poke-ball. All the champions smirk a little on hearing that since they have created and practiced a strategy based around facing of against an electric type like Raichu.

"Talk about predictable. Garchomp battle stance." Cynthia says with an air of confidence. All remaining champions follow suit.

"Battle begin." Referee says.

"You may have the first move champions." Dragon Emperor says while politely gesturing to the champions.

"Solar Beam." Lance and Drake say in unison. After both Dragonite's charge it up they fire the beam at Bouffalant to a lot of the audience's surprise. Meanwhile both Steven and Diantha are Mega Evolving their Pokemon.

"Garchomp. Swords Dance." Cynthia says as brightly shining energy swords surround and rotate around Garchomp.

"Bulk Up." Alder says as a red Aura surrounds Bouffalant.

'Fascinating. Using Solar Beam on your team mate to boost up it's attack power due to sap sipper is very good. Not to mention using Swords Dance and Bulk Up as well. Furthermore using Mega Evolution and Support Moves from the start to match up to my Raichu's power. By doing so they force me to attack first so that they can defend and then counter attack at the appropriate moment. Furthermore the formation their Pokemon are in is also quite well designed. Keeping the ground type Garchomp as the first line of defense. Which is then supported by Mega Metagross and Mega Gardevoir who can defend well by using their Psychic moves and Metagross' steel typing. Keeping the flying type Dragonites in the back for long range attacks and Bouffalant for a Close Range counter attack. Looks like they have really been training hard and intelligently alright." Dragon Emperor finishes thinking to himself as both Dragonites fire a second Solar Beam at Bouffalant.

"Alright. Let's see what you have in store for me. Raichu start of with Thunderbolt. Aim for Gardevoir." Dragon Emperor says.

"Not going to happen. Intercept Garchomp while sticking Dragon Tail in the ground." Cynthia says as Garchomp jumps in front of the Gardevoir to shield it.

"Flash Cannon." Steven commands after the thunderbolt is rendered useless.

"Dodge it." Dragon Emperor says.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"It seems all the analysis work we did on Raichu's speed and attack power and defense is really paying of." Oak comments.

"But why use Dragon Tail when Garchomp is already a Ground Type?" Alexa asks.

"The answer is simple. It is true that Electric type moves have no effect on Ground types. However this only hold for normal power. For a Raichu whose power level is off the charts according to our scanners even having a ground typing won't completely cancel out the electric type's attack." Rowan replies.

"I don't understand." Alexa says.

"Simply put take a copper wire. Copper wire is good for passing electricity. But pass a huge amount through it and it gets burned. The same is the case here. When facing such a formidable opponent it is advisable to minimize the damage your Pokemon takes as far as possible. That is why the need for Dragon Tail." Oak says.

"I see. But how can someone have that strong a Pokemon?" Alexa asks.

"Beat the hell out of us." Juniper says while throwing her arms in the air.

"Let's hope this battle turns out different from the last one." Goodshow says.

"Yes. Let's hope." all the other Professors reply in unison.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"I see. Most impressive. Let's see if you can deal with Raichu's speed." Dragon Emperor says.

"Lance. Drake. You know what to do." Diantha says. They both nod and order their Dragonites to fly.

"Quick Attack. Get behind the 3 in the front." Dragon Emperor says as Raichu vanishes.

"Now Dragonite Flamethrower." Lance and Drake say. Both Dragonite launch a flamethrower creating a band of fire in form of a protective ring in front of Metagross, Gardevoir and Garchomp.

Diantha is looking intensely at the ring of fire when suddenly she sees Raichu jumping over it. "Now use Disable." Diantha says as Gardevoir's eyes turn blue. A few moments later Raichu is seen coming to a stop in front of Garchomp and Metagross as his Quick Attack has just been disabled.

"Nicely played. Creating that ring of fire as a barrier forcing my Raichu to jump over it. Thereby causing it to slow down just a little for it to be seen by your eyes. Allowing you to Disable it." Dragon Emperor replies with an impassive face.

"Thanks. Shadow Ball." Diantha says while amusing herself with Dragon Emperor's facial expression.

"Focus Blast." Steven commands.

"Electroball." Dragon Emperor says. The Focus Blast and Shadow Ball collide with Electroball causing a minor explosion. Suddenly Electroball comes through the explosion a little smaller than before.

"Quick intercept it like before." Cynthia says just in the nick of time as Garchomp manages to protect Gardevoir and Metagross like it did before.

"Well done. You are staying alert and not making the mistake of underestimating me. Though you did cut it a little close with the Electroball." Dragon Emperor says.

"I don't need your charity. Thank you." Cynthia replies while smirking.

"In that case why don't we shake things up a bit. Or rather the ground." Dragon Emperor says while smirking.

"What do you mean?" Steven asks in a confused tone.

"This. Use Thunder on the battlefield." Dragon Emperor says as the entire battlefield starts cracking and huge boulders of all sizes are blasted towards the 6 Pokemon.

"Don't panic we can counter this too. Gardevoir use Psychic to stop those flying rocks." Diantha orders.

"You do the same Metagross." Steven says.

"Quick use Solar beam to destroy those rocks." Lance and Drake shout.

"Use Stone Edge to defend." Cynthia says.

All the champions breathe a sign of relief as they manage to stop the attack.

"Now send it back it Magical Leaf." Diantha says.

"Help her Metagross." Steven says. Everyone watches as they see the pile of rocks fall onto Raichu apparently crushing it.

 **(In the VIP Stands)**

Upon seeing this everyone in the VIP stands apart from the professors, Grace, Delia and Kalos Elite four clap thinking that Raichu has been knocked out.

"Don't kid yourselves." Seibold shouts to everyone's surprise causing them all to stop clapping and stare at him.

"It's too easy. This is far from over." Seibold says as all the professors nod their heads in agreement. Upon seeing the reaction of the professors everyone sits down on their seats while turning their attention back to the battle.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"Close but no cigar." Dragon Emperor says as Raichu comes out of the ground looking unscathed. Diantha, Cynthia and Lance clench their fists in frustration.

"Don't let him shake you up. He is just taunting you so that you make a mistake. Stick to the plan and keep your cool. We will win." Alder says calming everyone down.

"Words of wisdom from the oldest champion here. How Quaint. Time to turn on the heat. Use double team." Dragon Emperor says as hundreds of copies of Raichu appear on the battlefield.

"Draco Meteor." Cynthia, Lance and Drake say immediately hopping to snuff out the fakes before Dragon Emperor can take advantage of them.

"Not bad. Use Draco Meteor Climb." Dragon Emperor says as the fakes are being taken out one by one. Raichu's tail glows white, it jumps and starts hitting the Draco Meteors with his iron tail as a spring to increase it's height.

"But how?" Diantha says as Raichu leaps over all the meteor and is now high in the sky.

"Nothing like a little aerial superiority. Now Raichu bombard the entire battlefield with Electroball." Dragon Emperor says.

"Quick Get into Defense formation 2." Diantha shouts as all Pokemon take shelter under Garchomp who is hovering just over it's teammates to act as a barrier. The moment the Electroball start landing Garchomp uses a revolving Stone Edge around it's body to act as a second shield while it is protecting the other Pokemon from the rain of Electroball. A huge dust bowl is created which settles to reveal all the Pokemon fine except Garchomp who is not damaged but a little tired. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief which turns to panic as they hear Dragon Emperor's next command.

"Use the falling momentum to your advantage. Use Volt Tackle." Dragon Emperor commands.

"Alright. Let's hope our strategy for Volt Tackle works. Ready to join the battle Alder?" Diantha says.

"Yup. I am ready." Alder replies as Raichu's Bolt Tackle starts getting closer.

"Garchomp use Dragon Rush." Cynthia commands. The 2 attacks meet which immediately results in Garchomp sent spiraling through the air trying to hold on after it has suffered damage not from the electric component of the Volt Tackle but by the sheer force in it.

"Fingers crossed that Cynthia's Garchomp has managed to neutralized sufficient amount of the Volt Tackle for our defenses to hold." Steven says in an unsure tone.

"Use protect." Diantha, Lance, Drake and Alder say in unison as a thick shield is created.

"Iron Defense." Steven says as Metagross floats above the remaining Pokemon to act as another layer of protection. Volt tackle collides and a blinding explosion takes place to everyone's shock. There is a gust of wind as the champions are struggling to keep their balance.

"Stay Strong." All of them say in unison. The explosion subsides to reveal a panting Raichu suffering recoil damage as all the Champion's Pokemon are fine.

"Now use Flash Cannon." Steven says.

"Hyper Beam." Lance and Drake commands.

"Counter with your own Hyper Beam Raichu." Dragon Emperor says. The attacks meet causing another explosion.

"Use Head Charge." Alder commands as Bouffalant comes charging out of the explosion. Upon contact Raichu is sent flying into the stadium wall causing another minor dust bowl.

"Now that felt great. I was itching to have a go ever since the battle started." Alder said as he had finally taken part in the battle. Diantha however is looking at Dragon Emperor. She sees his lip curl.

"Quick Gardevoir get Bouffalant out of there. Use Teleport." Diantha shouts to Alder's surprise. Alder turns to see Raichu shooting out of the impact crater on the stadium wall while using a fresh Volt Tackle. Moments before Raichu's attack is about to connect Gardevoir appears next to Bouffalant and then whisks it away by using another Teleport.

"That was close. We shouldn't let our guard down so easily. That Raichu still has juice in it even though it beats me how it still has this much juice in it." Lance says.

"I think we should decide it now. The longer this drags out the higher the chances are that we will make a mistake." Cynthia says to everyone's agreement.

"Use Lock On." All of them say in unison to Dragon Emperor's surprise.

"Hyper Beam." All of them commands.

"Quick your best Thunder to counter it." Dragon Emperor says. The attacks meet in midair. The clash seems tied but then the Hyper Beams overpower the Thunder and cause a huge explosion.

"Alright we won." Lance says.

"Don't celebrate yet. I won't believe it till I see it fainted with my own eyes." Diantha says. When the smoke clears everyone is shocked to see Raichu still conscious. It's body is covered with some bruises and it looks like it is on it's last legs.

"How can that thing still be conscious?" Lance shouts.

"Because the Thunder neutralized a lot of the power from our combined Hyper Beams. But don't worry. It is over we win." Cynthia says before turning to Dragon Emperor.

"You were foolish to think that you could take all of us on at once." Lance says.

"Yes. I hope after this humiliating defeat you learn a lesson about humility." Cynthia says.

All the champions are smirking and the crowd is going wild at what seems to be a victory for their champions.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

Everyone is cheering except Ash and Serena who have been quietly observing the whole battle. Serena is about to say something when Ash stops her and shakes his head. Serena feels like saying but she acknowledges Ash's request.

"Well looks like your invincible like teacher has been defeated once and for all." Oak says while coming next to Serena and sitting down.

"So it would seem." Serena says.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

All this while the Dragon Emperor has been standing in silence. His eyes are closed and his head a little bowed down. He opens his eyes to see the champions smirking at them. He smiles and starts clapping his hands. Everyone gets shocked. After a few minutes the entire stadium is observing the Dragon Emperor in shocked silence.

"Have you gone mad?" Lance asks unable to hold back any longer.

"Of course not. I am just amused." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Your defeat amuses you?" Cynthia asks in a somewhat arrogant tone.

"No at your foolishness. Did you really think you could actually defeat me this easily?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Of course. Look at your Pokemon. It's barely able to stand up. It's out of steam." Steven says.

"Oh yes the battle before. Well I must thank you all for the warm up you have provided me for my battle with Ash and Serena." Dragon Emperor says.

"Is that so?" Lance replies in a mocking tone.

"Careful champion. Pride comes before the fall." Dragon Emperor before smiling. Diantha starts shaking again.

"You." Diantha shouts in an accusatory tone.

"Me." Dragon Emperor replies in the same tone.

"You have just been toying with us. Haven't you. Just like your battle with me?" Diantha shouts to everyone's surprise.

"Of course. The pleasure of the hunt is in the chase." Dragon Emperor replies.

"But you can't defeat us with that Raichu of yours. It is out of steam. So exactly how are you planning on defeating us?" Lance asks in a mocking tone.

"Simple. Like this. Raichu use Volt Switch." Dragon Emperor says to the shock of all the champions.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Volt Switch. No way." Sycamore shouts.

"I would't have predicted that in a million years." Rowan says.

"But wasn't substitution forbidden?" Grace asks.

"Yes it was. But Volt Switch can still be used to substitute Pokemon since it is a official Pokemon league recognized move. it is similar to when a trainer uses Mean Look in a battle where substitutions are allowed." Goodshow says in a remorseful tone wishing that it wasn't a recognized move.

"What will happen now?" Oak asks Ash. Everyone eyes Ash and Serena intensely.

"So it begins." Ash says.

"What begins?" Juniper asks.

"The real battle. Get ready everyone. For we are about to see a glimpse of Dragon Emperor's true capabilities." Serena says as everyone starts muttering among themselves.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"So the entire battle up to now was so that you could study our strategy and find holes in it so that you could defeat us with ease." Alder says as he eyes the ferocious Noivern which has just replaced Raichu.

"Careful. You don't want to look even more ridiculous do you." Dragon Emperor says while smirking. All the champions once again start shaking as they now know that Dragon Emperor was just playing with them all along.

"I just realized. Garchomp is our first line of defense and " Cynthia says.

"it is vulnerable to Dragon Type attacks." Diantha finishes her sentence in a panicked state.

"Calm down. We can still pull together. All we need to do is switch Gardevoir and Garchomp's roles." Alder says quickly.

"You are right." Diantha says in a more fortified tone.

"You are right but your enlightenment comes too late. Noivern use Dragon Pulse." Dragon Emperor says as Noivern launches a ferocious attack straight at Garchomp.

"Quick Gardevoir use Teleport. Protect Garchomp." Diantha says.

"You too Metagross. Use Iron Defense." Steven says.

"Perfect. All the pieces are now in place. Time for the _coup de gras_. Noivern take them all out." Dragon Emperor says to Steven and Diantha's surprise as Metagross and Gardevoir appear in the trajectory of the Dragon Pulse headed straight for Garchomp. Moments before Dragon Pulse collides with Metagross and Gardevoir the Beam splits into 3 smaller beams. Left beam circles to the left of the 2 and hits Lance's Dragonite. The right beam does the same striking Drake's Dragonite. The middle beam arcs over Metagross and Gardevoir like a projectile to strike the unprepared Garchomp. 3 explosions take place revealing the 3 Dragon types struggling to get up.

"How?" Steven and Diantha mutter as they look in disbelief at the 3 Dragon types.

"Flamethrower." Dragon Emperor says catching them both by surprise. Before either Steven or Diantha can do anything the Flamethrower strikes Metagross dead center and also grazing Gardevoir since both are standing close to one another. Diantha watches helplessly as she sees Metagross get slammed into the Stadium Floor by the Flamethrower.

"Diantha watch out." Cynthia shout to a dazed Diantha who has taken her attention of Dragon Emperor's Noivern. The moment she turns she sees her Gardevoir getting sent flying by an Iron Tail.

"Dragon Claw into Acrobatics." Dragon Emperor says as the 3 dragon types are about to stand back up and fight. Moments later all 3 of them are once again struggling to get up from the battlefield after being struck by ferocious Dragon Claw swipes.

"Stay focused on the battle. Get up." Alder says as he eyes Noivern flying towards his Bouffalant.

"You are one to talk. Use Brick Break." Dragon Emperor says in a smirking manner.

"Stop it with Rock Tomb." Alder commands.

"Really. A rock type move to stop my fighting type move and here I thought you were the wisest person here considering your older age." Dragon Emperor says before Noivern smashes 2 ferocious Brick Breaks on Bouffalant causing it to fall on the field with a thud.

"Flash Cannon." Steven commands as Noivern heads next for Metagross again.

"Dodge with Acrobatics then into Fire Fang." Dragon Emperor says seconds before Metagross is wincing in pain from the Fire Fang.

"Now give it a toss and send it flying to Bouffalant." Dragon Emperor says as Noivern swings the heavy Metagross while maintaining Fire Fang and throws it towards Bouffalant.

"Quick Bouffalant catch Metagross with your horns." Alder says as Bouffalant gets up.

"Perfect. Use Focus Blast on Bouffalant after it catches Metagross." Dragon Emperor says to all the champion's shock.

"Oh no." Steven shouts as both Metagross and Bouffalant are sent flying.

"Quick Gardevoir catch them with Psychic." Diantha says as Cynthia watch another smirk appear on Dragon Emperor's face.

"No Diantha it's a diversion. Gardevoir is the target." Cynthia shouts to Diantha's surprise.

"Flash Cannon." Dragon Emperor says moments before the attack meets it mark and all 6 Pokemon are now lying on the battlefield struggling to get back on their feet.

"Time to finish it. Use Hurricane." Dragon Emperor says. The champions watch in horror as the tornado sucks all their Pokemon into it. They scream their Pokemon's names.

"Finish it. Fire Spin." Dragon Emperor says moments before the hurricane slowly becomes a red from the Fire Spin that is being fed into it by Noivern.

"That will be enough Noivern." Dragon Emperor says while all the Champions are now on their knees struggling to keep their emotions in check. Diantha is struggling to keep tears from flowing from her eyes. She looks up to see Dragon Emperor opening his fist to reveal 5 fingers. She immediately has a flashback to her previous battle and starts shaking. Soon everyone is shaking as they see Dragon Emperor counting down. The moment he is about to close his last finger all the champions instinctively close their eyes not wanting to see what is to follow. They keep their eyes closed but nothing happens. A while later they open their eyes to see the Flame hurricane still holding form and Dragon Emperor who has closed all of his fingers. The moment all 5 of them open their eyes he snaps his fingers. That very moment an explosion takes place engulfing the entire battlefield.

When the explosion clears the champion look to see what has become of their defeated Pokemon. But to their surprise the Pokemon are nowhere to be seen. Everyone who was inside the VIP Box comes running and stands behind the champions who are on their knees.

"Where is my Gardevoir?" Diantha asks. Dragon Emperor simply point a finger pointing upwards to the sky. The champions look up to see their Pokemon hurtling towards with the ground like a crashing plane much to their horror. Seconds before impact they are caught by the feelers of Dragon Emperor's Sylveon who lowers them in front of their respective trainers. The moment the champions look at the state of their Pokemon they say nothing. Everyone looks on in worry as the Champions don't even have the strength left to cry their hearts out. Everyone is staring with shock, awe and fear at the Dragon Emperor who is not even giving the slightest of reactions after he returns Sylveon to it's Poke-ball.

"Get the field repaired. We shall have our battle in an hour's time. Take the champions' Pokemon to the Pokemon center." Dragon Emperor says before turning around walking away.

"Yes." Ash and Serena reply quietly.


	51. Calm Before the Storm

**(10 Minutes Later)**

There is pin drop silence in the common room. All the champions except Diantha are looking at the floor in silence while clutching a fistful of their hair in each hand. Diantha who has already gone through this experience once before is taking it much better. However she too isn't saying anything.

The elite four, frontier brains and gym leaders are also not saying anything. All of them are giving one another nervous glances. The members of the press also are not saying anything for a change. All the professors and teachers are not saying anything either. Ash and Serena are however sitting calmly with their eyes closed and a deep thinking expression on their expression.

"How long Serena?" Diantha suddenly says to everyone's surprise.

"Are you talking to me Diantha?" Serena asks after opening her eyes.

"How long?" Diantha repeats herself to everyone's confusion.

"How long what?" Serena asks.

"Did the battle last after he actually started battling? You were timing if I recall correctly." Diantha asks.

"U mm. Diantha this is not the best time. We can talk about it later." Serena says sweetly hoping to avoid the inevitable.

"No. Now." Diantha says in a rather loud and hurt tone.

"But." Serena starts to protest.

"Now." Diantha says in a menacing tone to everyone's shock.

Serena sighs and says "1 Minute 57 Seconds." On hearing that Diantha starts laughing hysterically to the surprise of all the other champions.

"Is there something funny? We just got our asses handed to us on live TV and you are laughing." Lance asks in an annoyed tone.

"Of course there is. We took 2 months. 2 fucking months to develop our strategy. Another 3 months to practice and modify it. It took him less than 2 minutes to rip our strategy to shreds. Are we pathetic or incompetent or idiots or what?" Diantha says in the middle of fits of laughter which soon turns to incessant crying. No one says anything for they don't have an answer to Diantha's question.

"Neither of you are pathetic or idiots or anything like that. You are just out of your league is all." Ash says after opening his eyes.

"Easy for you to say. Mr. in-training-to-be-Pokemon Master." Diantha replies before collapsing to the floor while on her knees.

"Trust me Serena and I have been in your shoes several times before to know what you are going through. That man is nothing short of invincible." Ash says while getting up. He walks over to Diantha and extends his arm to her crying face.

"True strength is to know to get back on your feet and trying again." Ash says as he pulls Diantha up.

"And true wisdom is to know your limits." He says as he gets Cynthia on her feet.

"Why not some hot chocolate and some cookies to cheer up the mood." Serena says to Seibold who takes the cue and goes out to fetch the necessary items.

 **(20 Minutes later)**

"Feeling better?" Serena asks as everyone else finishes their hot chocolate. All the champions give a little smile on hearing that. Both Ash and Serena breathe a sign of relief on hearing that.

"It still beats me. How on the earth did that man beat the champions like that. He is strong all right. But to annihilate their carefully planned strategy in under 2 minutes is overwhelming." Alexa says.

"He won because of fear." Drake says of the Hoeen Elite four.

"Fear?" Alexa asks.

"Yes Alexa fear. Dragon Emperor knows how to go for the kill. He preys on his opponents' weaknesses which in this case was the champions' fear of him." Serena replies.

"I don't understand." Sycamore says.

"Then let me explain it to you. Dragon Emperor is very good at reading people. He can see through people as if they were nothing but a pane of glass. When he arrived in the stage both Serena and I sensed the nervousness and the fear in the Diantha and the others. We knew that he could sense it as well. He very cleverly put up a low level fight to ensure that Diantha and the others would suppress their fear and become more and more overconfident. As the first battle with Raichu progressed the level of fear which was suppressed inside the champion grew just like the level of water does when a river is dammed. The moment he used Volt Switch it had a severe psychological effect on them evident by their shaking. What it did was it rammed up the pressure way up. The dam broke and a torrent of fear inside the champion's mind was released. This literally arrested their thought process and completely paralyzed them. When that happened it rendered the champions' useless and allowed him to rip their carefully laid out strategies to bits. The fear inside them left wide openings and careless decisions which allowed him to capitalize on them more effectively and take the win." Ash says to everyone's shock except Serena.

"Like the move to catch Metagross & Bouffalant with Psychic?" Diantha asks.

"Also like taking your mind of his Noivern allowing it to land an effective hit on your Gardevoir with Iron Tail." Serena says. On hearing that all the champions become sad.

"We never stood a chance in the first place did we?" Lance asks.

"No. You didn't." A voice says to everyone's shock.

"That voice!" Cynthia shouts as if she has just seen a ghost.

"But where did it come from. He is not here?" Brandon says as he looks around the room.

"I am here." the voice says. Moments later Dragon Emperor teleports right in front of the champions. On seeing him all the champions fall of their seats and start shaking. Everyone including Ash and Serena jump as well.

"Now now. Calm down. I just came here to check on you." Dragon Emperor says before smiling in a reassuring manner.

"You have some nerve coming here to rub salt into their wounds. Get out." Seibold says in an angry tone.

"Calm down. I have no intention of doing that to such accomplished trainers. These champions should feel proud instead of beat down o putting up such a good fight." Dragon Emperor says. Seibold however is not listening to anything. He starts running towards the Dragon Emperor fit his fingers curled in form of a fist.

Dragon Emperor gives a wink to Diantha and Cynthia who return a confused look. On seeing their expression he simply smiles. Seconds before Seibold is about to tackle him he teleports away causing Seibold to lose his balance and fall on his face with a bang.

"Before fighting learn how to stay on your feet." Dragon Emperor says after teleporting a little away from where Seibold has fallen.

Everyone looks shocked at this turn of events. Seibold gets up while groaning. Diantha and Cynthia on looking at his face burst out in laughter for a few seconds before clamping their mouths shut with their hands. Seibold turns around to face the others. Soon the entire room bursts with laughter with the exception of Seibold who is looking at everyone in a confused state.

"Here you go." Dragon Emperor says while holding a mirror for Seibold to see his face in the mirror on seeing that he himself bursts into laughter.

'I guess my work here is done.' Dragon Emperor thinking to himself before nodding at Serena and Ash and teleporting away.

Suddenly the bell rings signalling that it is time for the second battle to begin. On hearing that Ash and Serena start to move to the battlefield.

"Win for our sakes." Cynthia says.

"Are you kidding me. Our defeat is certain. The question is how long we will last." Ash say before walking out. There is stunned silence in the room.

"Well we should get going as well." Diantha says.

"Are you kidding me. You need to get admitted in the psychiatric ward. There is no question of watching the match." Seibold says.

"I am not kidding. I will get admitted to the ward after the match is over. But I am watching it whether you like it or not." Diantha says.

"But." Seibold starts to protest only to be cut off by Charles Goodshow.

"If they want to watch. They should be allowed o do so." Goodshow says in a firm and final tone. Everyone nods and one by one they leave.

 **(10 Minutes Later in the VIP Box)**

"Well the match is about to start. Any estimates on how long those 2 will last?" Alexa says.

"I would estimate 5-7 minutes." Diantha replies.

"When it was just the 6 of us you we lost under 2 minutes. When it is just the 2 of them you are estimating more than twice of our time?" Drake asks from the Orange Islands.

"I agree with Diantha's estimate." Oak says.

"Why?" Grace asks.

"Ash and Serena have been training under Dragon Emperor for a long time. They know him well. They will not make the same mistakes that the champions made like letting fear get the best of them. Furthermore they are the only ones here who can predict his moves ahead of time." Oak replies.

"Not to mention both of them have become very powerful as well. Maybe they are not as strong as him but they will put up a good fight that is for sure." Cynthia says.

"I see." Grace says. Both she and Delia have crossed their fingers.

'Be careful. Ash and Serena. And Best of Luck.' they both think simultaneously.

 **(On the Battlefield)**

"Alright. This will be a one on two Dragon type duel." Dragon Emperor says.

"Dragon type duel?" Ash asks in a surprised tone.

"Yes. Dragon Type Duel. We shall have the use of 1 Pokemon each. It has to have dominant/recessive Dragon Typing. Choose your partner well. Go Noivern." Dragon Emperor says while tossing Noivern's Poke-ball. It comes out and gives a huge roar sending chills down many people in the VIP Box and the stands as well.

"In that case go Salamence." Serena says while tossing her Poke-ball.

"You too Garchomp." Ash says while doing the same.

"Begin." Referee shouts.

"Use Dragon Rush." Dragon Emperor commands.

"We'll use Dragon Rush as well." Ash and Serena say in unison. Noivern's Dragon Rush clashes with Salamence and Garchomp's Dragon Rush causing an explosion. Noivern flies out of the explosion looking unscathed. Garchomp and Salamence meanwhile drop to the ground.

"Get up." Ash and Serena say as their loyal Dragon Types get back on their feet.

"Noivern use Gust." Dragon Emperor says.

"Quick Dragon Claw into the ground." Ash and Serena says as their Dragon Types are barely able to hold their ground against Noivern's Gust. After the gust has stopped both Ash and Serena breathe a sign of relief.

"Well done. Using Dragon Claw to act as an anchor against my Noivern's Gust." Dragon Emperor says.

"Thank you." Ash and Serena reply.

"Very well then. Now you may have the first move." Dragon Emperor says.

"Ash we can't match that thing head on." Serena says.

"I know. It's time to take it to the next stage." Ash replies. Ash and Serena both nod at each other. Then they both strike a characteristic pose to everyone's surprise. Serena's hands are are crossed in the form of an X where her right palm is touching her left shoulder and her left palm is touching her right shoulder. Ash on the other hand has both of his hands stretched out. His right palm is above his left hand. Both the hands are pointing straight at Dragon Emperor.

"Respond to my heart. Beyond Evolution. Mega Evolve." Serena says after she has struck her pose and closed her eyes. As soon as golden light begin emanating from the pendant around her neck her right hand makes a fluidic circular motion which becomes a gesturing stretched hand while her left hand is still on her right shoulder.

"Respond to my heart. Beyond Evolution. Mega Evolve." Ash says after she has struck his pose and closed his eyes. As soon as golden light begin emanating from the pendant around his neck his right palm slides back on his left outstretched hand like a credit card is swiped in a machine. The right palm then moves next to his face curling itself in a claw kind of a shape. His left hand copies what Serena did with her outstretched hand.

As soon as both Ash and Serena gesture their hands towards the Dragon Emperor as part of their pose their Pokemon finish Mega Evolving and give out a loud roar.

"I see. Creating little personas are we. Not bad. As for the sense of style and taste Serena gets all the credit." Dragon Emperor remarks in an impressed tone.

 **(Back in the VIP Box)**

"It seems Ash's Gible evolved." Cynthia says as she sees Ash's Garchomp.

"What power!" Drasna remarks as Dragon Emperor's Noivern comes flying out of the Dragon Rush exchange.

"Indeed. The power that man and his Pokemon has is something to behold indeed." Oak remarks.

"Well that is true. I have seen his abilities first hand. Had Alder told me he was going to battle Dragon Emperor then I would have warned him in advance." Drayden say.

"What you know him?" Alder asks.

"Yes. That man taught me everything I know about Dragon Types." Drayden remarks to Lance's surprise.

"So when I interned at your gym before becoming the Kanto Champion everything you taught me was taught to you by that man?" Lance asks to which Drayden nods.

"Indeed. That man has also taught me everything I know about know about Air Battling as well." McCann says who is the newest member of the Sinnoh Frontier Brains. Everyone is shocked at this revelations.

"So you two were his short term apprentices like I was?" Clemont asks to which Drayden and McCann nod.

"Just who are you Dragon Emperor and why have we never seen or heard about a trainer like you ever before?" Sycamore says to everyone's agreement.

"Look there. It seems Ash and Serena are Mega Evolving their Pokemon." Brandon says drawing everyone's attention back to the match.

"That was a wise decision considering that they can't match up to his power without it." Oak remarks.

"Wow. Ash has a Garchompite. I have been tying to find one forever." Cynthia says.

"Things are heating up for sure. It seems we are in for one spicy battle." Scott says as everyone nods.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"Get Ready for the fight of your life Dragon Emperor." Ash and Serena says in unison.

"Ash Serena." Dragon Emperor says before pausing in a dramatic way. There is shocked silence in the stadium. Everyone is watching with baited breathe. No one is moving a muscle.

"Bring it." Dragon Emperor says before smiling as the 3 eye each other intensely.


	52. Clash of Titans

**(In the Battlefield)**

Everyone is watching the 3 with baited breath. No one is moving a muscle. Not a sound can be heard except that of the wind which is giving a surreal yet ominous feeling to the spectators. Ash and Serena are peering into Dragon Emperor's lifeless yet intense eyes. Dragon Emperor is doing the same. Suddenly a drop of sweat drops from Serena's chin causing all 3 of their pupils to contract and their bodies to tense up. Noivern immediately starts to use Dragon Rush and Salamence and Garchomp reply in kind.

The clash result in a huge collision which causes an explosion sending torrents of sandy wind outwards. Dragon Emperor is calmly standing with his arms crossed and a calm calculating look in his place unaffected by the gust of roaring wind. Ash and Serena on the other hands have crossed their arms and are bent their bodies forward to withstand the relentless gust of air. Even people in the stands have put up their hands in a cross to shield themselves from the fierce wind and the sand coming along with it. The clash seems tied as both side's Pokemon are pushed back mid air trying to keep their balance. After the clash is over Ash and Serena lower their hands and look back at Dragon Emperor with unwavering determination and blazing fire.

"Alright Noivern take to the sky." Dragon Emperor says while pointing to the with his right index finger. Noivern gives a loud roar and shoots out into the sky at breakneck speed.

"After it." Ash and Serena say as Garchomp and Salamence fly after it.

"Dragon Pulse." they both say in unison.

"Dodge it then use Boomburst to counter." Dragon Emperor says as Dragon Pulse closes in on Noivern.

"Dodge that and keep on using Dragon Pulse." Ash and Serena say as 2 Boomburst attacks approach their Pokemon.

"Aerial Ace." Dragon Emperor says calmly. Noivern dissapears just before the Dragon Pule makes contact to Salamence and Garchomp's confusion.

"Calm down both of you. Try to anticipate where it is going to come from." Ash says as Salamence and Garchomp fly down to the ground looking in all directions.

Noivern suddenly appears out of nowhere and delivers 1 fierce Dragon Claw swipe each to both Salamence and Garchomp. After the dust settles both Salamence and Garchomp give a roar while Noivern is gliding gracefully in the air above.

"Flamethrower." Ash and Serena say in unison.

"Flash Cannon." Dragon Emperor says in an almost bored tone.

Both attacks meet and cause another huge explosion just like before with Ash and Serena trying to stay on their feet.

"Aerial Ace." Dragon Emperor commands as Noivern dissapears once again to Ash and Serena's frustration.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"What power! He didn't even use this kind of power when he was battling us." Steven says in awe of the power of that explosion.

"Yes. The only reason I can think of that is because he didn't want to humiliate you too badly. Otherwise he never would have put the condition of you retaining your title regardless of the result of the match." Oak says after thinking for a moment.

"You think so." Drake asks.

"Nothing would indicate otherwise." Sycamore says.

"However on a more serious thought the difference in level is still clear. Ash and Serena haven't been able to land an attack till now. If it goes on like this they will lose." Lance says in a serous tone.

"I don't think that winning is on their mind at all. Remember what Ash said just before he left. Lasting as long as possible is their main focus as it should be." Cynthia says.

"Still. They need to find a way to break through that Aerial Ace. If they don't then this battle will be over real quick." Oak says with his hand under his face.

"I wonder what will they do?" Cynthia asks.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"Serena we need to find a way to beat that Aerial Ace. Otherwise this battle will be over before we realize it." Ash says after turning to Serena as Salamence and Garchomp are hit with a Steel Wing this time.

"I know but what." Serena says as she racks her brain. Suddenly she has a flashback to the training session in the night in the Hoeen region in the bamboo forest. She remembers Dragon Emperor's words "Being still while standing and doing nothing are 2 very different things. Throughout the universe there is a certain flow to the energy of things. If one train his senses well enough then he can see the path of flow of the energy. Why do you think I have been asking you 2 to meditate for the past month despite both of you thinking it is a waste of time."

"Ash we need to anticipate Noivern's movements just like he taught us in the Hoenn region." Serena whispers to Ash who nods as they both face Dragon Emperor again.

"Aerial Ace into Dragon Claw." Dragon Emperor commands.

"Alright you two. Just calm down and relax. Trust us OK." Ash and Serena says before closing their eyes.

Dragon Emperor smiles on seeing that and thinks to himself 'Time to see whether all that training paid of or not.'

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"What are they doing? Why are they closing their eyes?" Lance shouts as everyone looks in disbelief.

Cynthia and Diantha are looking in a confused manner as well when suddenly they remember what happened on their flight on Diantha's jet when Ash caught, tossed and skewered an apple with a knife while keeping his eyes closed.

"Of course. They are trying to feel Noivern's movement instead of trying to see where it is coming from." They both shout in unison.

"I don't understand." Steven replies in a flabbergasted tone.

"Don't you remember what happened in my plane with you, Ash, the apple and the knife?" Diantha quickly says.

On hearing that all the champions give a gasp and then they turn to the battlefield to see what is going to happen.

"But that apple was falling at a very slow speed. That Noivern is flying at an incredible pace. Will it work?" Lance asks in an unsure tone.

"I don't know. Only time will tell the answer I guess." Diantha says as everyone focuses their attentions back to the match.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

Ash and Serena are concentrating while keeping their eyes closed. Suddenly they both open their eyes at the same instance and shout "Dodge it." together. Salamence jumps back and Garchomp jumps forward moments before Noivern appears in the middle of the gap and flies through it, having missed it's mark.

Dragon Emperor smiles on seeing that. He says "Well done. It seems your inner focus has much more clarity now. But now it's time for the real test. Noivern use double team."

Ash and Serena watch with a serious expression as several copies of Noivern appear mid air.

"Aerial Ace into Dragon Claw." Dragon Emperor says as all the copies perform Aerial Ace and then vanish.

"This is bad. It will be much more tougher to predict where the real one will attack from?" Serena says as she looks here and there.

"Or when it will attack from? What do we do?" Ash grumbles to himself as he tries to think of a way out of this situation.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Alright that was a great move." Cynthia says as Noivern misses it's target.

"Indeed. Anticipating Noivern's movements like that at such a high speed is no small feat." Diantha says. Everyone murmurs in agreement and then claps. However their happiness turns to shock when they hear Dragon Emperor's next command.

"Of course he is testing them." Alder says to the agreement of all the other champions.

"Testing them? I don't understand." Delia says.

"This is what any good teacher does. He teaches his students the basic and then tests the very skill he has taught with a higher level of complexity to see what the student has learnt from him and on his own as well. By using Double team he is testing Ash and Serena's reaction to a more high pressure situation. This will be a rough battle for the 2 for sure." Alder says.

"Yes. I am inclined to agree." Oak says as he observe the proceedings with a analyzing expression.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

'Alright back to basics. When evading use DAFT. Which out of the four can help us? D is out of the question. So is A and F. What about T? Is there anyway we can use the terrain to our advantage?' Ash thinks to himself when suddenly he has a flashback to his gym battle in the Hoeen region with Winona and how he dealt with her Aerial Ace there.

"That's it." Ash says as he whispers the idea he got into Serena's ear who smirks on hearing it as well.

"Well well. Let's see what those 2 have planned for me now." Dragon Emperor says in a more interested tone.

Suddenly the copies start appearing one by one.

"Sand Attack now. Cover the entire surroundings." Ash and Serena say in unison.

Dragon Emperor's eyes widen as Noivern's location is now visible due to it being inside the sand storm.

"Dragon Claw." Ash and Serena says in unison.

"Nicely played. But you over estimate your visual advantage. Switch to Acrobatics and then Dragon Claw." Dragon Emperor says.

Ash and Serena watch helplessly as their attacks miss and their Pokemon are send flying one more time.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"That should work just fine." Cynthia says in an ecstatic tone as Ash and Serena use Sand Attack.

"Indeed it should get rid of the fakes and at the same time reveal Noivern's position. Not to mention Noivern may also get sand in it's eyes causing it temporary difficult in seeing Garchomp and Salamence. That was a good move." Oak says as Noivern comes into view.

"Go get that Noivern Ash and Serena." Grace and Delia say in unison in a firm tone.

Everyone's excitement once again turns to shock as they see Salamence and Garchomp sent flying.

"But how?" Cynthia and Lance say in unison with a tone of disbelief. Everyone else is too shocked to say anything.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

Ash and Serena are still looking confused as to why their plan didn't work. Dragon Emperor on seeing their confused faces gives a chuckle.

"You are probably wondering what happened?" he says to which Ash and Serena nod.

"Your strategy to use Sand Attack to cover your entire surroundings was a good one. It not only cancelled out all the fakes but also revealed Noivern's position just before the Aerial Ace attack landed. Not to mention that sand also has a split second blinding effect on Noivern too. That was a most impressive indeed using your experience along with what I taught you regarding DAFT." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"Then why didn't it work?" Ash asks in a impatient tone.

"The strategy would have worked on other Pokemon. However you forgot that Noivern is the Sound Wave Pokemon." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"Of course. Echo Location." Serena shouts to which Dragon Emperor nods.

"Your strategy was excellent. No doubt. You just forgot to take everything into account." Dragon Emperor says as Ash and Serena clench their fists in sheer frustration. Upon seeing Salamence and Garchomp struggling to get up tears come in their eyes.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"I don't understand." Grace says in a confused and sad tone.

"I do. Noivern is the Sound Wave Pokemon. It can sense it's environment by sending out sound waves which upon reflecting back from an opaque surface allow Noivern to map it's surroundings via an echo in it's mind despite not being able to see. This ability is known as Echo Location." Oak says in a grave tone.

"So Noivern can see without using it's eyesight!" Delia asks.

"Yes. That is exactly why Ash and Serena's strategy backfired on them. Had it been any other flying type Pokemon using Aerial Ace would have had all the effects that Prof. Oak just told us a few moments ago. But Noivern's Echo Location ability allowed it to see clearly even in the Sand Storm. This is also why it effectively managed to dodge Salamence and Garchomp's attack and deliver a counter attack despite not being able to see." Diantha says in a sad tone.

"Poor Ash and Serena. Coming up with such a difficult strategy in such a crunch situation only to have it back fire on them." Sycamore says in a grim tone.

"This match is almost over. Salamence and Garchomp have taken too many attacks while Noivern hasn't taken a single attack." Lance says.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

Both Ash and Serena have closed their eyes and are looking away. For they know that the match is over and they are too scared to look.

"So that's it huh. I guess that is all the zeal and enthusiasm you had? What happened to 'Never give up till it's over.'. Is that what you have been taught by me? To give up when things start looking difficult. Answer me. Where is your true strength? Did i train you to be weak?" Dragon Emperor says as his voice reaches Ash and Serena's ear.

They however don't react to his voice.

"I must say I am disappointed. Your Pokemon are still trying to get up for the fight yet you have abandoned all hope. Is that how a trainer should reciprocate his Pokemon's feeling to not give up till the very end?" Dragon Emperor says.

Everyone is watching the fiasco with baited breathe. No one is saying a word.

"You are right." Ash suddenly says as he wipes what little tears have come out his eyes.

"Am I?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Yes. You are right. We are weak. But we will go down fighting no matter what." Serena says as she wipes her tears and both of them face Dragon Emperor with renewed determination.

"Very well then. Dark Pulse." Dragon Emperor commands.

"Dodge it." Ash and Serena shout as Garchomp and Salamence manage to dodge the incoming attack.

"Use Lock on Garchomp followed by Solar Beam." Dragon Emperor says.

"Oh no. Salamence use Fire Spin to neutralize it." Serena says.

"Steel Wing. Block it." Ash shouts. The Solar beam cuts through the Fire Spin and collides with Garchomp's Steel Wing sending it flying to the ground.

"Garchomp. Are you alright?" Ash asks. Garchomp gives a grunt and a nod and struggles to get on his feet.

"Aerial Ace." Dragon Emperor commands.

"Serena. Garchomp needs a quick breather." Ash says while turning to Serena.

"I will buy you some time. Salamence Protect." Serena says as Salamence creates a sparking green shield around Garchomp and itself.

 **(In the VIP Stand)**

"Will protect hold?" Diantha asks.

"i don't think so. If Solar Beam overpowered Fire Spin due to the amount of damage Salamence has taken then protect shouldn't hold for long." Oak says.

"Wait a minute. Your Noivern can use Feint right Drasna?" Diantha says turning to Drasna.

"Yes it can. Which means" Drasna says before being cut off by Diantha.

"His Noivern can use it too." Diantha says in a grim tone.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

'If I know Dragon Emperor well he will use Feint to break through or something similar. It's a huge gamble but it just might work.' Serena thinks to herself.

"Use Feint to break through followed by Dragon Claw." Dragon Emperor commands.

'Drop Protect and use Dragon Pulse." Serena shouts catching Dragon Emperor by surprise.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Now that's more like it." all the champions shout as they stand up in unison while punching the air as they see Noivern sent flying.

"Super Effective and from point blank range." Sycamore says in an ecstatic tone.

"Wait a minute where is Garchomp?" Oak says as Garchomp is nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly Garchomp comes out of the ground after using Dig and then deliver a fierce Dragon Tail to Noivern smashing it into the ground.

"Right on the kisser." Scott says while beaming.

"And super Effective too." Cynthia says as Salamence lands next to Garchomp.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Keep up the pressure. Use Dragon Rage." Ash and Serena say in unison.

"Most impressive. But play time is over. Use Screech Noivern." Dragon Emperor commands.

Noivern uses Screech attack causing everyone in the stadium except Dragon Emperor to cover their ears and wince in pain.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"What power." Lance shouts as he feels like his head will explode. Seconds later the bulletproof glass of the Box shatters into millions of pieces.

"If this keeps up I will go crazy and deaf." Cynthia shouts while covering her ears as well with a pained expression on her face.

Everyone else is covering their ear and wincing in pain as well.

 **(Back in the battlefield)**

The Dragon Rage attacks completely reverse their trajectory due to the powerful Screech attack and land right back on Salamence and Garchomp. Noivern stops Screech as a huge explosion takes place. Salamence and Garchomp revert back to their original forms and lie fainted on the ground with Ash and Serena still trying to figure out whether their ear drums have burst or not.

After a few moments of silence the referee says "Salamence and Garchomp are unable to battle. Noivern wins. Which means the match goes to Dragon Emperor."

Ash and Serena are panting heavily. They are sitting on the ground trying to catch their breathe. When they see everyone of the VIP Box coming towards them. They get up and walk to their Pokemon.

"You fought well Garchomp. Take a nice rest." Ash says before recalling his Pokemon.

"You fought bravely as well. Take a good rest." Serena says before stroking her Salamence and recalling it as well.

"Ash Serena are you alright." Grace and Delia say in unison.

"Yup we are. Just a little shaken and tired is all." They both reply moments before being embraced by a warm hug.

"Well done. Most impressive." Dragon Emperor says while walking towards them.

"Thank you." Serena replies.

"I was most impressed at the way you used Dragon Pulse to blast my Noivern from point blank range. A risky strategy but with large payoffs." Dragon Emperor says.

"That means a lot coming from you. I actually got the idea from you." Serena says.

"From me? Do elaborate." Dragon Emperor says in a mildly surprised tone.

"Before we came back to KIP from the Hoeen region I remember you saying "If you can't get to the enemy have your enemy come to you instead." I got the idea of that risky last minute maneuver from there." Serena says.

"Well done. Of course Ash followed up well when he used Dig to get in close then follow it up with Dragon Tail. Good teamwork." Dragon Emperor says.

"Well we still lost. But we did the best we could." Ash says in a somewhat beat down tone.

"Yes and that's all that matters. Learn from your mistakes and you will go far." Dragon Emperor says while giving tossing a tomato berry to his Noivern.

"Can we rest a bit before going away with you again." Ash says while looking at Dragon Emperor.

"Of course. I will pick you up in 4 days. Till then enjoy. My instructions from the letter still stand." Dragon Emperor says while turning around.

"Hold it. I have a question for you." Sabrina says.

"Who are you if I may ask?" Dragon Emperor says without turning around.

"I am Sabrina of the Saffron City gym. I am a psychic type gym Leader." She replies.

"I see. What is your question?" Dragon Emperor says while turning around.

"Are you a psychic? I remember you clearly teleported back in the common room after your match with the champions." Sabrina asks.

"Yes you could say that." Dragon Emperor replies.

"To teleport you need to be a powerful psychic but neither me nor Olympia could sense your powers." Sabrina says.

"Maybe you have fallen a little out of practice." Dragon Emperor says when he sees Drayden and McCann approaching him.

"But I am not finished yet." Sabrina says.

"Yes you are." Dragon Emperor replies before turning Drayden and McCann.

"Drayden. McCann. You old rascals. How are you?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Fine. It's been more than 2 years we saw you. You haven't aged a day." McCann says.

"Of Course. We all have some thing which make us special in our own ways. I guess youth is one of mine. How are Haxorus and Scizor?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"They are good." they both reply.

"While I would love to chat about old times I really must get going. I have other matters to attends to." Dragon Emperor says.

"Of course. We will catch up later." they both reply.

Dragon Emperor nods and starts walking away.

"Wait. I have one last question for you." Lance shouts.

"Alright. You have 30 seconds before I leave. I suggest you make them count." Dragon Emperor says.

"My question is simple. Who can beat you in a battle?" Lance asks at which everyone looks back at the Dragon Emperor with tense anticipation.

"When it comes to Pokemon Masters only the student has hope of defeating the master." Dragon Emperor replies causing everyone to glance at Ash and Serena for a second who are themselves unsure of what to say.

Then suddenly Dragon Emperor bends his knees and then jumps vertically in the air to about a height of 30 meters. He does a somersault in midair and then he lands on Noivern's back in mid air as Noivern flies off at supersonic speed with his standing on Noivern's back with crossed arms and the same characteristic cold and calculating expression on his face.

Everyone is shell shocked at what just happened. But no one says anything.

"I guess we should all hit the psychiatric ward for some rest and recovery and also get our Pokemon looked at." Ash says.

Diantha nods and everyone leaves with only one thing on their minds.

'Who is this Dragon Emperor and what does he want?'


	53. Aftermath of the Battle

**(Next Morning)**

"Well you called us. We are here." Grace says as she and Delia enter KIP's conference room.

"Good to see you Grace and Delia. Had a good night's sleep?" Diantha asks.

"Yes. How are you and the champions doing?" Grace asks in a concerned tone.

"We are much better thank you. Of course Lance is still taking it quite badly. But how are Ash and Serena doing?" Diantha asks as everyone turns their gaze to Grace and Delia.

"They are still asleep. I actually put some sleep medication in their food last night. We all know they need it. They should be up in a couple of hours. So what did you want to discuss?" Grace says as she takes her seat as does Delia.

"Well first of all I am not the one who called this meeting. Professor Goodshow did. Why don't we let him speak." Diantha says as everyone turns to Goodshow who has been sitting silently.

"Well first of all both the members of the Pokemon League and the International Police Agency are quite distressed. The defeat of all the champions in such an overwhelming way has sent shock waves throughout both the organizations. Thankfully media agencies have not reported on this in a critical manner since even they felt sorry for the condition of the champions after the battle was over." Goodshow says before taking a sip of water.

"Well I for one would like to surrender my title of champion. I don't deserve it." Lance says to everyone's surprise.

"I understand but that is out of the question." Goodshow replies.

"Why? I am not fit to represent my region in the Pokemon league as evident from the events of yesterday. With such a disturbed mindset I don't think I can perform my duties of a champion as well. I am sure the other champions feel the same after having their a***s handed to them yesterday." Lance says in a bitter tone.

"Language young man. Use of such language does not befit a champion." Goodshow says.

"Another reason why I don't deserve it." Lance says in an ignorant tone.

Goodshow gives a sigh before saying "You are right. As of right now the state you are in. None of you are fit to be champions of your regions but you still must remain on that position."

"Why?" Alder asks.

"Because of the condition Dragon Emperor imposed just before the mach began which all of you accepted in front of international television." Goodshow says.

"The condition of us retaining our title regardless of the outcome. I had a feeling you were going to say that." Diantha replies.

"You had 5 months to create your strategy and train. Furthermore you were battling with a 1 vs 6 numeric advantage. He won despite that. As trainers you are bound by the code of honor of Pokemon trainers and you must uphold the condition that was imposed upon you by him. Besides if you were to step down right now it will cause even more panic than what already has spread." Goodshow says.

"That's right. To deal with the situation and mitigate it we must take steps." Looker says while interjecting.

"Yes but what can we do? You saw the battle. We can't beat him if that is what you are asking us to do." Cynthia says.

"We are not asking you to do that. However we can't stay like this with our heads in the sand without doing anything. So first let us start by reviewing what we know about this Dragon Emperor." Goodshow says.

"Well we know he is an extremely competent and powerful trainer. He knows the ins and outs of Pokemon." Diantha says.

"He is very reserved and calm. He has a dominating presence. Also has a little compassion in him. From what we have seen he cares quite a bit about Ash and Serena." Cynthia says.

"Yes but why does he care so much about Ash and Serena. That is one thing that has been bugging me ever since we have come across this guy." Oak says as everyone nods in agreement.

"I don't know for sure but I do have an inkling." Grace says as everyone looks at her.

"Go on." Diantha says.

"I feel as if he has a deep connection with Ash and Serena. That he knows them at a personal level from the past. Otherwise he never would have gone to such lengths to train them. If he had to train powerful trainers then he could have trained someone like Lance or Cynthia or Diantha for that matter. But he didn't do that. he chose Ash and Serena. I don't know what I am saying is right but it can't just be a coincidence. Can it?" Grace says.

"A most interesting hypothesis indeed. Sounds logically sound to me. I will look into this angle. What else?" Looker says.

"There is something about that man that has been bugging me and Olympia both." Sabrina says.

"Do tell." Goodshow says.

"All those who were there in the common room yesterday after the Champions' battle with him remember him teleporting. Am I right?" Sabrina says as many people nod.

"What of it. He could have had a Psychic type Pokemon have him transport him there. There is no evidence that he himself has psychic abilities." Looker says.

"No but wait. Do you all remember the voice that we heard before he actually teleported into the room when he answered Lance's rhetoric question." Sabrina says.

"I do. It was the Dragon Emperor's voice. But what of it." Oak says.

"Teleporting someone from one place to another is something that a Psychic type Pokemon can do for them. But to transfer his voice to the location is only possible if the user has Psychic abilities." Sabrina says.

"I didn't know that." Looker says as Olympia nods to confirm Sabrina's words.

"Interesting. Then this would suggest that this Dragon Emperor has psychic abilities. Also they must be quite powerful if he can teleport himself from one place to another." Oak remarks as everyone nods in agreement.

"Alright then we can at least safely assume that he is a powerful psychic. What else?" Looker says.

"Wait that's not all." Sabrina says before continuing.

"During the match between Ash and Serena vs him both me and Olympia were trying to read his thoughts." Sabrina says.

"And?" Lance says in a hopeful tone.

"And the most bizarre thing possible happened." Sabrina says to everyone's surprise.

"We couldn't read him at all." Sabrina says.

"What does that mean?" Looker says.

"Powerful Psychic users like me and Sabrina are capable of telekinesis, telepathy, teleportation etc. Because of our reasonable power levels other powerful Psychic type users can feel our presence due to the power emitted by our bodies. For example right now I can feel Sabrina's presence as can she feel mine." Olympia says.

"Like radiation being detected by a source?" Oak enquirers to which Olympia nods.

"So what happened?" Diantha asks.

"Nothing. There was nothing. We couldn't any readings at all. It was almost as if he had no psychic powers in the first place." Sabrina says.

"What?" everyone else exclaims apart from Olympia.

"Is that true?" Valerie asks Olympia after turning to her who only nods in return.

"How can that be? If he is a powerful psychic like you said then you should have been able to feel his presence." Cynthia says.

"Exactly. This is exactly what has got me and Olympia baffled. We don't know how this is possible." Sabrina says in an agitated tone.

"This Dragon Emperor is surely one hell of a mysterious puzzle box." Looker says as he scratches his forehead in frustration.

"But that's all we have got for you right now." Sabrina says.

"Well thank you for sharing this information with us. Better something than nothing. I guess." Diantha says.

"Wait a moment. Didn't he greet McCann and Drayden as old acquaintances. Perhaps you two can tell us something as well." Lance says.

"Well I met him around 20 years ago. Back when I was a trainer. I was in the the Kalos region for the matter of fact. I as training with my Scyther back in the Kalos Canyon. I was having difficulty with flying my Scyther for it always ended up smashing itself into the wall or being sent flying in the wrong direction. When suddenly one morning I heard the sound of laughter. It seems that he had been observing me and my Pokemon train for quite a long while. A first I was a little angry at him for laughing at me so I challenged him to fly his Pokemon in the wind. Till this day I will never forget the sight. It was transcendental. I had never seen such graceful flying before. So when he offered to teach me about air battling I of course jumped at the opportunity. He trained me for 2 weeks and then left. It was not until 12 years later that I ran into him again this time in the Sinnoh region where I had decided I would retire. Then we again saw each other at my house 2 years ago." McCann says.

"Wow. That's quite the story." Delia says to which McCann nods.

"I have similar tale as well." Drayden says.

"Go on." Alder says.

"It was 16 years ago. Me and my partner Haxorus were travelling through the Kanto region. We had just finished travelling but then we decided to go and visit the Blackthorn Gym before returning to Unova. It was in the evening. me and my Haxorus were getting ready to retire for the evening. We suddenly saw a Noivern fly past us. We knew Noivern was a Dragon Type Pokemon but the speed at which it flew was just incredible. Me and Haxorus followed that Noivern to the Dragon Holy Land. That is where we found him. He had been training his Noivern you see. When I saw that he had a Dragonite as well I immediately revealed myself. I introduced myself and then challenged him to a battle since I wanted to become a Dragon Master. Of course he won with just one move taking both my Haxorus and Druddigon out with his Dragonite. Then he offered to train me in the ways of a Dragon Master. I accepted and about a month later we parted ways. Unlike McCann I only ever saw him once after that which was 6 years ago when I was travelling to the Village of Dragons to consult with the elder regarding a matter." Drayden says.

"Interesting. It seems both of you ran into him just like the 3 of us did on the way to Cyllage City." Clemont says after hearing Drayden's story.

"Wait a minute by his looks that Dragon Emperor is a man in his 30's. most likely" Oak says.

"Well maybe early 40's." Sycamore says.

"Alright early 40's then. So if we go 20 years back he would be in his early 20's. That is the age of being a teenager. How can a teenager have so much experience that it can teach you two who were definitely older than him at that time?" Oak says as everyone gasp as they realizes that Oak has a point.

"Well?" Sycamore asks in a hopeful tone.

"Now that you mention it that is odd indeed. For when I met him 20 years ago he looked exactly like he did yesterday. What about you Drayden?" McCann asks Drayden.

"You are right. He hasn't aged a day." Drayden says.

"What!" everyone shouts in unison.

"How can that be? All living creatures age and die. It is the law of nature." Oak says.

"I know that but trust me he actually hasn't aged a day." Drayden says.

"This is most peculiar. How is it possible not to age?" Sycamore says.

"Beats us." Drayden and McCann say in unison.

"Are you sure of what you are saying? You do realize how crazy this sounds." Rowan asks to which both of them nod.

"Well. I guess that was unexpected." Looker says in a tired tone.

"All this talk is making my head spin. I am going for a cup of strong coffee. Anyone else?" Diantha says.

"I'll pass." everyone says except Cynthia who nods and also gets up. They both walk to the coffee machine and fix themselves a cup of coffee each. As soon as they turn their jaws drop and the coffee mugs shatter into pieces on hitting the ground.

"What happened Diantha?" Sycamore asks as Diantha and Cynthia stare with their open jaws towards the other end of the room.

"Look there on the couch he has been listening to the whole conversation all this while." Diantha and Cynthia say pointing to Dragon Emperor who is sitting on the couch on the other end of the room. He sees them, smiles and then gives a wink.

Everyone turns to the other end of the room and scan it. They turn around and Seibold says "Diantha there is no one there."

"Are you kidding me. He is sitting on the couch all this while." Cynthia says as they both turn their attention to Seibold.

"Diantha Cynthia. There is no one there." Goodshow says.

"He is right there." Diantha says while turning only to see the couch completely empty. Both of them get the shock of their lives as they run their eyes over every nook and corner of the room.

"But I could have sworn I saw him on the couch." Diantha says in a confused tone.

"Diantha I think you haven't completely recovered from yesterday's battle. The shattered nerves must have prompted you to see things. Why not take a nap after the meeting both of you." Steven says.

"I. U mm. Well. I guess you are right." Diantha says as she and Cynthia take their places again. They both drink their coffee and glance at each other with only one thing on their mind. Did they really see the Dragon Emperor there or not?

 **(3 Hours Later)**

"Ash. It's good to see you after this whole time." Max says as he comes running towards Ash and Serena who are taking a leisurely stroll.

"Max. What are you doing here?" Ash says in an ecstatic tone as he bends a little and gives Max a hug.

"I came here with my father. We were invited to match yesterday's match with the Champions." Max says as he and Ash separate.

"Oh yes. Of course. Your father Norman is the gym leader isn't he. So he was invited." Ash says.

"Ash who is this?" Serena asks.

"This Serena is May's little brother Max Maple. I traveled with him when I challenged the Hoenn League and the Kanto Battle Frontier." Ash says.

"Yup that's me. I have seen you perform on TV. Ash is very lucky to have found someone like you." Max says.

"Why thank you Max." Serena says sweetly.

"Max there you are. We have been looking all over for you." May says as she comes running with all of Ash's other friends.

"Sorry sis. I just saw Ash so I ran of without telling you." Max says.

"Hey Ash. How are you feeling after yesterday's battle?" Brock asks.

"Both of us are feeling great. After all we just woke up an hour ago." Ash says.

"Good. You needed the rest Ashy boy. We all saw the battle that Dragon Emperor guy is powerful. I was surprised to see you last this long after the result of the champion's battle." Gary says.

"Hey Ash listen. Can you do me a favor?" Max asks.

"A favor. What favor?" Ash asks.

"Can you introduce me to that Dragon Emperor guy. I would like to challenge him to a battle." Max says as everyone shouts "What!"

"Max. You are barely able to last 5 minutes when you fight with father at home. You think you can challenge someone who demolished all the champions of the regions within 5 minutes! Get such foolish ideas out of your head. It's far too risky. I won't allow it." May says in a loud final way.

"Now now. Let the kid talk. I am interested in the direction in which this is headed." A smooth cool voice says causing everyone to jump for a moment except Ash and Serena.

"Dragon Emperor you really need to stop freaking people out like that." Ash says while turning to see Dragon Emperor walking towards the group.

A feeling of chill is send down the spine of everyone as they see the man who demolished the champions approach them.

"I thought you were going to pick us up in 3 days. What happened?" Ash asks.

"Nothing. I just came over to check whether you two had recovered well from your battle." Dragon Emperor says in a cool voice.

"Now who here was talking about challenging me." He says in a more cold and serious voice causing Max and the others to start shaking.

"Please forgive my brother sir. He was just joking." May says while waving her hands in a furious manner.

"I know that. I was just kidding. After all as I am always telling these 2 that being a hero is 1 part brave 5 parts fool. So Ash why don't you introduce me to all your friends one by one." Dragon Emperor says while chuckling causing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Right." Ash says as he one by one introduces everyone.

"It seems you have made a lot of friend over your numerous journeys. That's nice." Dragon Emperor says.

"Hello there everybody." Clemont says as he comes walking over with Korrina and Bonnie. All of them sit down on the grass and chat regaling each other with stories from their various journeys. Things like Bonnie's proposal habits to Dawn's hair to Brock's proposals are told. While everyone is chatting Dragon Emperor has been observing everyone including Bonnie and Max who seem to be stealing glances at each other when they think nobody is looking. Suddenly Dragon Emperor chuckles and calls Clemont to him. Clemont comes and then Dragon Emperor whispers something into his ears. Clemont turns back with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Bonnie sees Clemont's eyes going from her to Max and she realizes what is going to happen.

Before she can do anything Clemont gets down on one knee in front of Max and says "You are a keeper. Will you please look after my sister Bonnie. She is a little young and mischievous but has a very bright future." As soon as Clemont says this everyone rolls on the floor with laughter with a furiously blushing Bonnie and embarrassed Max to paralyzed to say anything. The laughter becomes even more intense when Clemont uses his Aipom arm to pick up Bonnie and put her in front of Max.

Even Dragon Emperor is chuckling when he suddenly gestures Ash and Serena to come to him.

"What is it?" Ash asks.

"Nothing. It's just I have to leave now. Your moms along with Diantha and Cynthia will be arriving soon. I will pick you up in a week. Tell Diantha and Cynthia I like my coffee strong as well. But tell them to this only when the 2 of them are alone." Dragon Emperor says before giving them a wink. Then he turns around and starts walking away.

"Why strong coffee?" Ash and Serena ask in a confused tone.

"They will understand. Now go and enjoy with your friends." Dragon Emperor says before walking away.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Well well. Looks like someone is having a good time." Ash hears as Delia, Grace , Cynthia and Diantha come walking towards them.

"Mom. Grace, Diantha and Cynthia." Ash says.

"By all means don't get up on our account. The four of us are out for a leisurely stroll as well after such a tiresome meeting in the morning." Diantha says as she breathes a sigh.

"Well the two of us are staying here for a while with the kids. What about you two?" Grace asks Diantha and Cynthia.

"We need to get back to Prof. Sycamore's lab. We'll see you later." Diantha says before turning around and walking away with Cynthia.

"Wait I need to tell you two something." Ash says as he runs after them.

"What is it Ash?" Cynthia asks Ash.

"Dragon Emperor told me to tell you that he likes his coffee strong as well." Ash says.

"Coffee? What does that mean?" Diantha asks.

"I don't know. See you later." Ash says after shrugging his shoulders, turning around and running back to his group.

Diantha and Cynthia start walking back when it suddenly hit them causing them both to gasp at the same time in shock.

"So he was there in the room!" they both exclaim at once.

"Great the plot just keeps getting thicker and thicker." Diantha says.

"But if he was there why didn't the others see him?" Cynthia asks.

"Or why didn't Sabrina or Olympia sense his presence?" Diantha adds.

"Good questions. I guess till we can figure this guy out we should keep an eye on Ash and Serena for their safety." Cynthia says.

"I agree. Let's go and inform Looker." Diantha says as they both start to walk away in silence.


	54. Journey Continues

**(3 Days Later)**

"Well. Now we'll be off." Serena says as she hugs her mom and Delia.

"Take care of yourselves and Ash. But more importantly stay safe." Grace says as she reciprocates her daughter's hug.

"I will." Serena says as she turns around to join Ash who is waiting for her.

"Serena. Before you go take this." Grace says as she puts her hand into a pocket and takes out a Poke-ball.

"Which Pokemon is it mom?" Serena asks.

"An old friend who missed you terribly." Grace says sweetly as she presses the button of the Poke-ball to bring out Rhyhorn.

"Rhyhorn. I missed you sweetie." Serena says as she gets on her knees and pets Rhyhorn affectionately who returns this act of affection by licking her.

"I thought it would be best if Rhyhorn went along with you on your journey." Grace says as she hands the laughing Serena the Poke-ball.

"So Rhyhorn do you want to come with me on my journey?" Serena asks Rhyhorn. Rhyhorn gives her a final lick before pressing the button of the Poke-ball in Serena's hand only to vanish in a beam of red light.

"I guess that's that. I promise I will take good care of Rhyhorn mom." Serena says brightly.

"I know. But if I could make a request." Grace says.

"What is it mom?" Serena asks.

"I actually like Rhyhorn the way he is. I just wondered if it would be possible for you not to evolve it." Grace asks in a hopeful tone.

"I will leave that up to Rhyhorn. If he doesn't want to evolve then I won't force him. That fine with you?" Serena asks.

"Of course Rhyhorn's happiness is what matters. Now go and have fun. But just be careful. It's not that I don't trust your teacher. I do but still I worry for you both." Grace says in a slightly worried tone.

"I will." Serena says before giving Grace and Delia a wink and then running of to her limousine with Ash.

"Will they be fine?" Delia asks in a worried tone.

"I don't know. But my heart tells me they will. What about yours?" Grace asks.

"My heart is also happy but I still worry for Ash." Delia replies.

"Of course it does. We mothers never stop worrying about our children. I guess it is genetic." Grace says with a chuckle as they both wave the Serena and Ash goodbye.

A little distance away Lance says into his radio "They are on the move. Track them."

"Will do sir." A voice replies as Lance walks off with the other champions.

 **(5 Minutes Later)**

"What's that." Diantha asks pointing to a screen showing a map with 4 dots. One blue dot and others red.

"That is the GPS Tracking system. The blue dot is Serena's Limousine and the other 3 are those of my G Men who are following Ash and Serena. We also have satellite tracking." Lance says as he signals to the person sitting in front of the computer. The person nods and flicks a switch and the view changes this time showing Serena's moving Limousine on the road from a bird's eye position.

"Quite impressive Lance." Cynthia says in an impressed tone.

"Yes. This way we can track Ash and Serena's movements. We can find out what type of training Dragon Emperor has planned for them and where they are.

"Good. Wait what's that." Diantha says as she see Serena's Limousine take a turn onto a forest path.

"Interesting. Now we are getting somewhere. Switch to infra red so that we don't lose them in the forest canopy." Lance instructs as the person before the screen nods and presses a different button which results in the satellite view becoming infrared on another screen.

 **(1 hour 20 Minutes Later)**

"Now take a right Harry. We should come up on a cave system. Just drop us off here." Serena says as she reads Dragon Emperor's instructions which he had sent earlier via a letter.

A few minutes later the Limousine comes to a halt next to the mouth of a cave where Dragon Emperor is sitting with his eyes shut.

"Alright Harry. We are of now. We are leaving our phone and holocaster behind just like last time. We will see you later." Serena says as she and Ash get out.

"OK. Stay safe you too and be careful." Harry says as Serena and Ash smile before turning around and walking away.

"Good you are here. Everything left behind except your laptop?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Yup. Just like you instructed." Serena replies.

"Good. Now let us be on our way." Dragon Emperor says as he walks in to the tunnel.

"We are going in there? I thought we were training in this forest." Serena asks.

"No. We must go now. We wouldn't want them to follow us now do we?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Who? Lance's G-Men?" Ash asks to which Dragon Emperor nods.

"OK then lead the way." Serena says as Dragon Emperor walks in and the 2 follow suit.

 **(Meanwhile back in KIP)**

"What happened? There is no sign of any heat signature. The signature in the car is only that of the driver's." Cynthia says.

"I don't know. Focus the imaging on the last location where the car stopped. All agent travel to this location as well." Lance says into the radio as the image zooms in on a particular sector.

"I can't see anything. Is there something wrong with the system?" Steven says.

"Don't know. The infrared could just be ghosting or something else. Fine tune the search parameters." Lance says as the men sitting before the screens type some commands on the keyboard.

"No use sir." They reply.

"What's happening. Agents respond." Lance says as he presses his ears into the radio while he listens to a voice respond.

"I see. Follow in come out after 15 minutes." Lance says as he flicks the radio off in a pissed of manner.

"Lance what's wrong? Why are you so pissed off?" Alder asks.

"It seems Ash and Serena have gone into a cave system. That Dragon Emperor knew we were tracking them. That is why they vanished. You see the infrared doesn't work when the target has gone underground or in a cave system. There is too much disruption and interference. I have told my agents to follow but I doubt whether they will be able to find them. That cave system is vast with a system of inter-connected networks of cave systems." Lance replies.

 **(Back in the Caves)**

"How long do we have to walk?" Serena asks.

"About 30 seconds more. Then we will be flying." Dragon Emperor says as he keeps walking ahead.

"But we are in a cave system. Will we be flying through the tunnels?" Ash asks.

"Heavens no. That will be boring. We will be flying below the tunnel." Dragon Emperor says while chuckling as he comes to a halt before a boulder. Ash and Serena look at each other while gesturing to each other conveying 'What is he up to?"

"Alright you two move this rock in form of a circular disk aside." Dragon Emperor says pointing to a circular disk behind the boulder.

"OK." Serena says ash she and Ash move the rock only to find a hole below.

"Ladies first." Dragon Emperor says while gesturing.

"Fine then." Serena says as she jumps inside. Ash follows suit. Dragon Emperor takes the rock disk in his hand and covers the entrance while sliding down as well.

"Wow." Ash and Serena say as they come to a stop. There are shining crystals stuck all over the cave's mouth.

"Welcome to Crystal Cave. A long forgotten part of Kalos' history." Dragon Emperor says.

"Wow. These crystals are so pretty." Serena says as she touches the glossy smooth surface of the crystals with her fingers.

"How did you know about this place Dragon Emperor?" Ash asks.

"This tunnel was discovered in ancient times. It was often used as a secret escape or getaway tunnel by certain aristocratic families of the Kalos of old during the time of the Kalos Unova war." Dragon Emperor says.

"Cool." Both Ash and Serena say as they look around the tunnel in marvel.

"Alright. That's enough sightseeing. This cave leads all the way to mountains near Shalour City. We will be flying on a Pokemon. Come out Dragonite." Dragon Emperor says while tossing his Poke-ball.

"Come out Salamence." Serena says while doing the same.

"You too Charizard." Ash says while tossing his.

"I will take the lead. Serena behind me and Ash behind Serena. Stay in one line and follow my lead. Eyes forward and ears sharp. Should I raise my hand in form of a closed fist it means I wish to stop. Should any of you wish to stop just shout." Dragon Emperor says while getting on Dragonite. Ash and Serena nod as they get on the back of their Pokemon.

"Here we go." Dragon Emperor says as his Dragonite starts flying through the tunnel. Ash and Serena follow as they fly behind Dragon Emperor as well.

"This is amazing." Ash and Serena say in unison as due to the high speed the color changing crystals look like spotlights in a dark tunnel. Dragon Emperor chuckles on hearing their excited squeaks.

 **(Back in KIP)**

"Alright. Come back." Lance says in a defeated tone as his agents come out of the cave and contact him.

"I guess that is that." Diantha says while dropping into an empty chair.

"Yes. Very clever Dragon Emperor." Cynthia says in a disappointed tone.

"Smart fish." Lance mutters as he thinks about the Dragon Emperor outwitting him again.

 **(1 hour later)**

"Alright Ash and Serena we will soon be out of the cave and be out. We shall be flying over the sea soon. So don't panic in case you see a bright light ahead. it will be the opening." Dragon Emperor says.

"Right." Ash and Serena reply.

A few moments later all three of them come shooting out of an opening in a cliff and the 3 Pokemon are flying elegantly over the expanse of clear blue seas.

"That was fun." Ash says to Serena's agreement.

"If you look to your right you can see the Shalour Gym." Dragon Emperor says as both Ash and Serena look to see Shalour City Gym a little distance away.

"That's nice but where are we going Dragon Emperor?" Serena asks.

"To the Unova region. From their to the Sinnoh region." Dragon Emperor says.

"How long will it take to get there?" Ash asks.

"At the current speed. About 6 hours." Dragon Emperor shouts.

"Looks like we are going on another journey Serena." Ash shouts.

"Yup. I look forward to it." Serena shouts back as they both smile and fly away into the horizon and out of view.

 **(7 hours later)**

"Alright set up camp here. We will start training tomorrow. Today just revision of what you have covered." Dragon Emperor says ash both Ash and Serena nod and walk away.

"Ash do you have traveled through Unova before right. Tell me which kind of Pokemon did you encounter?" Serena asks as she sets up the tents.

"You know what. I can think of 2 Pokemon which I saw in the Unova region which will be perfect for you." Ash says after a moment of thinking while setting up the bonfire.

"Really which Pokemon are those?" Serena asks.

"I will tell you if we encounter them. Till then you will have to wait." Ash says in a teasing tone.

"Fair game I suppose." Serena says.

"So Serena and Ash. Did you catch any Pokemon during your break?" Dragon Emperor asks while walking towards them.

"I got these 2." Serena says as she releases a Rhyhorn and a Steelix.

"A Steelix. Where did you catch it Serena?" Ash asks.

"Well remember I came back a few weeks before you." Serena asks Ash.

"Yup I do. What about it?" Ash asks.

"Well it was after my 2nd exhibition performance. I had a morning off. I remembered my encounter with this Steelix when it almost killed me back when I went to fetch my Delphoxite." Serena says to Ash's shock and Dragon Emperor's raised eyebrow.

"This Steelix almost killed you!" Ash asks in a shocked tone.

"I must say t catch a Pokemon that almost killed you requires character indeed." Dragon Emperor remarks.

"I guess you can say that. Anyway it then hit me that I didn't have any Steel type Pokemon. I also remembered how big this Steelix was. So I did a little research and I found out that this Steelix was almost 4 times as big as normal Steelix making it quite unique and powerful. Since I was only an hour away from the cave so I flew on my Salamence. I found the Steelix, fought it, caught it and came back within 2 hours without anyone noticing anything." Serena says.

"Quite the tale. But next time be careful and don't let any Pokemon do anything to you like Steelix did to you alright?" Ash replies in a slightly worried tone.

"This is one of the largest I have seen during the course of my travels as well. It's big and strong alright but needs work on being trained." Dragon Emperor says as he walks towards Rhyhorn.

"This Rhyhorn has very good body and excellent speed. But needs work on attack power and defense. I take it that it was your mom's Rhyhorn which she gave you." Dragon Emperor asks while turning to Serena.

"Yup that's right." Serena replies with a beaming smiling.

"Good job. These are 2 fine Pokemon. What about you Ash?" Dragon Emperor asks while turning to Ash.

"I caught a Hawlucha and Goomy." Ash replies as he brings out Hawlucha and Goomy.

"Hawlucha looks like it has been through quite a lot of battles already. But if I were to take a guess it lacks elegance and grace in it's battling style. It's style needs polishing and work." Dragon Emperor says as Hawlucha strikes a pose.

"As for Goomy what made you catch the Pokemon which is considered the weakest Dragon type Pokemon?" Dragon Emperor asks as he sounds disappointed.

"U mm. Well I don't consider Goomy as a weak Dragon type Pokemon despite what the Pokedex says. Pokemon are as strong as their trainer's belief in them. Those are the words I live by." Ash says as he fearlessly gazes into Dragon Emperor's eyes. Both of them gaze at each other in an intense manner for some time. Dragon Emperor's serious look turns into a smile.

He puts his hands on Ash's shoulder's and says "Well done. That's what I was expecting from you."

"Thank you Dragon Emperor." Ash says.

"Well. I have something for you too." Dragon Emperor says while going to his bag pack.

"Really and what is that?" Serena asks as she and Ash look at Dragon Emperor in an inquisitive way.

"Here you go." Dragon Emperor says as he hands both Ash and Serena 2 poke-balls each.

"Come on out." they both say in unison as they toss one Poke-ball each.

"Drakeon." a purple red colored Pokemon says in front of them both.

"What Pokemon is this?" Ash and Serena say in unison as they scan it with Pokedexes supplied by to them by Dragon Emperor only to hear "Unidentified Pokemon. No data Available.".

"This is Drakeon. The Dragon Type Evolution of Eevee." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Drakeon I have never heard of it." Ash replies.

"Of course you haven't for I am the only one in this world who knows how to bring about Eevee's Dragon Type Evolution. Serena's is a male while yours is a female. Also the Pokemon inside the Poke-ball in your hands is a Meowstic. Just like the Drakeon Serena's Meowstic is a male while yours is a female." Dragon Emperor replies after chuckling.

"Great." Ash and Serena say as they are about to toss the Meowstic's Poke-balls as well.

"You can see them later. Start off on food. We have been flying for 7 hours straight. Your Pokemon need food as well. After eating we shall talk more." Dragon Emperor says as he turns away.

"Wait Dragon Emperor. Just one last thing before we get started." Ash says.

"What is it Ash?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"I found this egg just like Serena found her Steelix." Ash says as he runs to his bag pack and brings out a dark magenta egg with purple markings on it in a case.

"Interesting. That is a male Noibat egg." Dragon Emperor says after looking at it.

"You can tell the gender of the Pokemon from it's egg. How?" Serena asks.

"There is so much to teach you and so little time. But enough questions for now. I am hungry and I am sure you are starving as well." Dragon Emperor says while entering his tent.

"We'll call you when food is ready." Serena says as she and Ash get started on food.


	55. Dragon Emperor Returns

**(9 Months Later)**

Everything in KIP is proceeding as always. Except Diantha, Cynthia, Sabrina and Lance all the other champions, gym leaders, elite four and frontier brains have returned to their respective regions. All in all it is a normal day in KIP. For 9 months there has not been any word or news of Ash, Serena or the Dragon Emperor. Grace, Cynthia, Delia, Diantha, Sycamore, Oak and a few more people are drinking coffee and having a chat about various things.

"So Prof. I read the paper you published on the dynamics of Rhyhorn and their riders. As a professional Rhyhorn race I must say it was quite interesting." Grace says after sipping her coffee.

"I agree. I heard several people praise it as well. Do give me a copy as well. I would like to read it as well." Cynthia says while smiling sweetly.

"Why thank you." Oak says while giving a chuckle.

"Hello everyone." Lance says as he and Sabrina come into the room as well.

"So Lance and Sabrina did you find anything about them?" Diantha asks in a monotonous tone since she knows what the answer is going to be.

"Nothing as usual. I still don't get it. How can the 3 of them disappear? We have searched all the regions. There has not been a sign of them anywhere." Lance replies in an irritated tone.

"To tell you the truth I really don't give a damn anymore. I think they will appear before us only if that Dragon Emperor wants them to come before us." Cynthia replies while yawning.

"Still. It's very weird. It's like they vanished into thin air." Sabrina says who is assisting Lance and Looker in their investigation.

"I for one don't care anymore as well. That Dragon Emperor gives me headache. Can we please change the topic." Diantha replies in an annoyed tone.

"Now now that's not very nice." A voice says causing everyone to stiffen up and get cautious.

"That voice it can't be." Diantha says as she scans the room with her eyes.

"if you are looking for me I suggest you look up." The voice says as everyone looks up. They get the shock of their life when they see Dragon Emperor resting on the windowsill close to the roof. His eyes are closed, his hands crossed and a calm smile on his face.

"You. How did you get in here without anyone knowing?" Lance shouts as everyone eyes Dragon Emperor with an intense expression.

The Dragon Emperor opens his eye, looks at them, smirks, winks at them and then vanishes to the shock of everyone. A second later he appears on the couch in front of them causing everyone to jump.

"I see. You teleported. No wonder you managed to get in." Lance grumbles as Dragon Emperor helps himself to a cup of coffee as well and then toasts to Lance.

"Your hindsight is 20/20." Dragon Emperor says as Lance gets irritated.

"What are you doing here. Furthermore where are Ash and Serena?" Diantha asks as Dragon Emperor sips his coffee.

"Good Coffee. Might I suggest adding a dash of vanilla extract. It will create a good contrast with the strong coffee." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Glad you like the coffee. Where are Ash and Serena and what are you doing here?" Cynthia asks in a threatening tone.

"Like the attitude. Good to see you still have the fiery spirit in you." Dragon Emperor remarks before smiling to himself.

"Dragon Emperor please tell me where are my Ash and Serena?" Grace and Delia ask in unison.

"I have not seen Ash and Serena for the last 3 months." Dragon Emperor replies.

"What?" Everyone shouts in unison.

"Where are they?" Grace shouts.

"Are they alive?" Delia shouts.

"Are they together?" Oak asks.

"Calm down. They are training by themselves in the wild. Ash has been training with his Pokemon on Mount Silver while Serena has been training on Mount Moon." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Mount Silver and Mount Moon have some of the most harsh, extreme and dangerous environments possible on this planet. What were you thinking sending them there. From extreme weather to extremely wild and aggressive Pokemon. Anything can happen to them. How could you send them there?" Oak shouts.

"I have timed their training so that they will be training in the harshest environment possible. This will go a long way in teaching them the value of life, trust, determination and also show them how harsh life can be. After all it is time for the 2 little birds to come out of their nest and take flight." Dragon Emperor replies.

"But to send them alone?" Diantha asks in a flabbergasted tone.

"Who said they are alone? My Noivern has gone with Ash and my Dragonite with Serena. Two of my most responsible and powerful Pokemon are with them day and night. You don't need to lecture me about the duties and responsibilities of a teacher. I am quite familiar with them." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Lance we need to get them. Right now even on Mount Silver the environment is very harsh. Contact your elite four and have them escorted here immediately." Diantha says.

"Right." Lance says as he takes out his phone.

"Don't bother. For both Ash and Serena are on their way here right now. They should be arriving in 10 minutes or so. Follow me." Dragon Emperor says as he sets down his finished cup of coffee and walks out of the room with everyone else following suit.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Well where are they?" Diantha asks in an impatient tone.

"Patience is a trait which you still have to imbibe in yourselves." Dragon Emperor replies.

"We have been waiting for the past 10 minutes. There is no sign of them." Cynthia says.

Dragon Emperor however says nothing. Another 5 minutes go by. Lance is about to open his mouth when suddenly they all hear ferocious roars in the distance.

"They are here." Dragon Emperor says as 4 flying Pokemon appear in the distance. Upon getting closer they see a Dragonite and Noivern flying in front of a Charizard and Salamence.

"Ash Serena." Grace and Delia shout in an ecstatic tone as they run towards the landing Pokemon. Everyone runs after them with the exception of Dragon Emperor who merely chuckles and calmly walks towards them.

"Sweethearts how are you." Grace and Delia say as they tackle a dirty Ash and Serena into a bone crushing bear hug.

"Mom we missed you so much." Ash and Serena reply with tears in their eyes and a smile on their face.

After separating the moms conduct a thorough examination of their children's bodies for any sign of injuries or cuts of any kind.

"We were so worried when we found out you went to Mt. Silver and Mt. Moon for your training all by yourselves. What were you thinking?" Grace and Delia shout in unison.

"Don't worry we are perfectly alright. Just need a shower and day's sleep." Ash and Serena reply.

"I know you are sweethearts." Grace and Delia says before going for a second tearful hug.

"Good to see you Ash and Serena. Well hit the shower first. For you two are dirty and ragged beyond belief. Good thing you left your spare clothes here. Get fresh and cleaned up. Then we shall have food and then you can sleep to your heart's content in your room." Diantha says. Ash and Serena's eyes twinkle at the idea of being able to sleep on a comfortable feather bed after spending 3 months in hellish conditions without each other's company.

"Take your time. We shall talk tomorrow." Dragon Emperor says causing Ash and Serena to become attentive and sharp immediately.

"Thank you Dragon Emperor. We will see you tomorrow." Ash and Serena say in an obedient tone as they run off towards their dorm room.

"Before you go. Drop your Pokemon at the Pokemon health centre. They haven't seen one in 3 months. They could use a check up. I will see you tomorrow." Dragon Emperor says as he returns Noivern and Dragonite to their Poke-ball.

"We'll see each other tomorrow." Dragon Emperor says to the others as he turns around while brandishing his cloak and teleports away.

"Well that happened." Sycamore says.

"Yup it happened." Lance says as everyone starts walking off as well.

 **(10 hours Later)**

"Ash wake up." Serena says as she violently shakes her boyfriend.

"Sere it's 3 in the morning. Go back to bed." Ash says in a groggy confused tone.

"I haven't had sex in 3 months. Please take me." Serena says. Ash opens his eyes to see a naked Serena in front him spreading her legs in a teasing manner. Serena takes each of Ash's hands and puts them on one of her breasts each. She then pulls his face into a fierce kiss causing Ash to snap out of his sleepiness and start groping her desperately.

"There were times when I used to dream of having sex with you." Ash says as kisses Serena furiously only separating for air.

"Take them off." Serena shouts in a desperate and angry tone as she starts yanking Ash's shirt violently.

"Relax. I am taking them off." Ash says as he takes of his clothes.

"Fuck me." Serena says in a commanding voice as she lays down on the bed with her legs spread open.

"What about protection?" Ash says as he goes on top of her.

"I took a pill. Stop talking and put it in." Serena says in an desperate tone.

"Whatever the Queen orders." Ash says as he thrusts causing Serena shriek in pleasure.

"Don't you dare pause." Serena says as she grabs fistful of Ash's hair pulling Ash's face on top of her's.

"I have missed this." Ash says as he starts pounding her with lust while kissing her incessantly.

 **(4 hours Later)**

"Even though we have had sex 4 times already I still want more." Serena says in a complaining way.

"Me too babe but you have milked my balls dry. Besides I am still very tired. I am sure you are too. Let's just sleep naked together. I promise we will make up for the last 3 months in all the days we are in KIP" Ash says as he kisses Serena.

"I will hold you to that." Serena says as she closes the light as well and falls asleep on her boyfriend.

 **(5 hours Later)**

"Hey Ash and Serena. Now you guys look like normal human beings. Slept well?" Grace asks the duo.

"Yes mom we slept well. Almost 15 hours. But only Arceus knows we needed it." Serena says as she helps herself to a chilli burger with bacon and fries.

"Your appetites has definitely increased." Delia says as Serena demolishes her 2nd burger and picks up a 3rd while Ash picks up his 5th burger.

"When you don't get cooked food for 3 month in the wilderness that tends to happen." Ash says with a mouthful of bacon and fries.

"That's bad table manners." Serena says as she elbows Ash.

"Sorry." Ash mumbles after gulping down the food in his mouth to take another bite.

"Still it's good to see you both are alright and normal. But tell me what on earth possessed you to actually go there. It could have been dangerous. From snowstorms to dangerous Pokemon to avalanches. I understand Dragon Emperor told you to go there but still you could have told him not to do that." Grace says.

"First and foremost we don't disobey anything he tells us to do. Secondly we were not ordered to go there we chose to go there so that we could become stronger." Serena says to the shock of everyone.

"You chose to go there? Why?" Grace asks in a shocked expression.

"Because of something he said when we were travelling through the Sinnoh region." Ash replies.

"What did he say that will cause the 2 of you to lose your minds and do something so reckless with your lives?" Diantha asks in an exasperated tone.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all. From now the 2 of you will be travelling the road between who you think you are and who you can become. The key is to allow yourselves to make the journey which will decide which side of the road you are on." Serena says as reminisces the Dragon Emperor's words.

There is silence in the room. No one says anything. Finally Oak breaks the silence and says "That is very deep indeed."

"We thought so too. We both talked about it. We decided to do this to become stronger." Ash says in a quiet tone.

Suddenly clapping can be heard in the distance. Everyone turns around to hear footsteps approaching. They all see the Dragon Emperor walking towards them with a rare smile on his face.

"Well done. It seems the decision to send you to your destinations was the right one after all. Despite you not ready for it. Very well done indeed." Dragon Emperor says in a smooth soft voice.

"Thank you. Had it not been for your training we would never had made it so far." Serena says as she and Ash give him a short curt bow. Everyone else is surprised at the level of loyalty and obedience displayed by Ash and Serena towards the Dragon Emperor.

"Stay here with your friends and family. You have earned this break. I will come and fetch you when I need you. Till then enjoy. But Ash my instructions still stand. Is that understood?" Dragon Emperor says to which Ash nods causing lance to raise an eyebrow.

"Well I will be leaving now. But before I go I shall leave you with another thought. Interested?" Dragon Emperor asks. Ash and Serena nod.

"Listen carefully then." Dragon Emperor says.

"Go ahead." Ash says.

"For most people chaos is a gaping pit waiting to swallow them all. But for people who know how to manipulate a situation to their advantage chaos can be a ladder." Dragon Emperor says before pausing.

"Go on." Serena says as the champions and professors eye the Dragon Emperor in a suspicious way.

"There are those who try to climb this ladder. They fail and never get the chance to climb it again. The fall breaks them. Then again there are those who are given a chance to climb but they refuse. They cling to material possessions like championship titles and gym badges. Mere illusions. Nothing more nothing less. Only the ladder is real. The climb all there is." Dragon Emperor says before brandishing his cloak and teleporting away only to leave an ominous tense environment in the room.

No one says anything. Some are confused at what the Dragon Emperor said. Some are trying to digest his words. Some are looking at Ash and Serena while Ash and Serena appear to be engrossed in deep thought.


	56. A Morning of Announcements

**(Next Morning in the KIP Stadium)**

"Good Morning everyone." Diantha says into the microphone after coming on the stage before pausing for a moment.

"Today we have 2 special announcements to make. First of all it gives me great pleasure to tell all of you that starting from today evening for a period of 3 days our prestigious institution will be a home for not only you but some very special guests from the Pokemon school in the Alola region. Several students and elders will be visiting our prestigious institution in order to promote and strengthen inter-region Pokemon culture and bonds." Diantha says.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"The Alola region!" Malva exclaims in surprise.

"Yes the Alola region. A region famous for different type of Pokemon and Z moves and much more." Oak says.

"Do tell more." Grace says.

"Well the delegates who are coming to visit all are associated with the Pokemon school whose headmaster is my cousin Samson Oak. It will be a good thing to see him after all these years but I do hope he has culled that irritating habit of his to imitate Pokemon." Oak replies.

Both Delia and Grace nod to each other but they look at Ash and Serena and get surprised to see them not looking excited at this news.

"What's the matter Ash Serena? Something wrong?" Delia asks in a worried tone.

"What? Nothing like that. Everything is fine." Serena replies.

"Then why are you not excited to hear about this news. Does it not excite you?" Delia asks causing both Ash and Serena to get awkward.

"Well we both have learnt how rein in our emotions and not express them without any specific need to express them." Ash replies after a moment of thought.

Both Delia and Grace don't look convinced but they decide to ignore it.

 **(Back on the Stage)**

"As KIP students I expect the highest level of behaviour and every courtesy accorded to our guests. Over the days they are here there will be guest lectures about the Alola region, Alolan Pokemon, Alolan culture and most importantly Z moves." Diantha says as some murmurs can be heard in the crowd.

"Furthermore I have a second announcement to make. In a week's time the Tri-School Pokemon Tournament will begin. For those who don't know. The Tri-School Pokemon Tournament began 20 years ago when the 3 top Pokemon Institutions were created ,namely the Kalos Institute of Pokemon, Opelucid Unova Pokemon Academy and the Kanto School of Pokemon, the competition was created where trainers from these 3 institutions will clash in Pokemon battles every 5 years where the winner will be given the Tri-School Pokemon Tournament Trophy." Diantha says as the murmuring becomes more and more intense.

"What's more important is that anyone can participate. But the competition will be tough. The rules will be decided once the representatives of the schools meet. Even though this is not a Pokemon league but be warned. The competition will still be equally tough if not more. You mettle will be tested, your ability to adapt to the situation seen and your ability as a trainer exhibited in front of the entire world. Whoever wishes to compete will need to register at Prof. Sycamore's laboratory within 5 days time. Once all the participants are confirmed then the rules and the format of the matches will be told accordingly. Thank you for your attention and now it is time for you to get back to your classes." Diantha says before walking away.

 **(In the Stands)**

"I don't know with Ash and Serena here does any of us stand a chance?" Paul asks as everyone goes silent.

"Well no harm in competing. Just because we may be defeated that doesn't mean we should back out without even trying." Dawn says to which everyone nods.

"Yup you are right. Besides it will be a good experience for all of us." Gary says to the agreement of everyone.

"Alright. Let's start training as hard as possible." Paul says as everyone gets up, cheers and moves for their respective classes.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Well now that's most interesting. Seems like good opportunity to get some battles under our belt. What do you say Serena?" Ash asks Serena while chuckling.

"You know what. I was thinking the same. This will be fun. Let's enter." Serena says as she fist bumps Ash.

'Good good. In this competition we shall see just how powerful you two have become and what this Dragon Emperor has taught you both.' Lance thinks to himself while smiling.

"Looks like this plan of yours to prepone the tournament by 1 month was a success." Cynthia says as she sees Ash and Serena leave with Grace and Delia.

"Only if it works. Remember my last plan didn't work. Let's hope this time we get to see what Ash and Serena have become." Lance says before getting up as well.

 **(1 hour Later)**

Ash and Serena are sitting in a secluded spot in one of the gardens of KIP. It's a spot where people don't come due to it's secluded nature. Serena is sitting on Ash's lap with her feet stretched out. Ash on the other hand has both of his hands wrapped around his Serena and his head nuzzles Serena's luscious honey blonde hair.

"You know when I was all by myself on Mt. Silver I used to miss you so much that I used to hug a picture of you and me every night before going to sleep." Ash says as he kisses Serena's cheek causing Serena to giggle in delight.

"You know there were days when I used to do the same. I used to stare at your photo for hours. It was what kept me going in that hellish place." Serena says as she strokes Ash's chin.

Out of the corner of his eye Ash sees a bush move a little.

"Did you see that?" Serena whispers.

"Yup one of Lance's G Men is tailing us. Even here. Frankly speaking now it's irritating. Can't get a moment of privacy anywhere." Ash mouths back in a complaining tone.

"What should we do?" Serena says while trying to appear calm.

"Pikachu do me a favour. Circle around to that bush and zap whoever is behind that bush for us please." Ash says to which Pikachu gives a curt nod and runs off. A minute later a huge cry is heard followed by an electrifying noise which results in a man falling out of his bush hideout covered in soot.

"Thanks Pikachu. I will make you Poke-puffs when we return to the apartment. Now run off and ensure that nobody else is watching us." Serena says to which Pikachu gives a thumbs up and runs off.

"Wait a moment. I have an idea. Lucario come out." Ash says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Lucario use your Aura to sense whether someone else is watching us or not. If so ensure that you and Pikachu take care of it. If someone is looking for us just bring them to us. If someone is watching us then just ensure that they don't do so. Can you do that buddy?" Ash asks to which Lucario nods and runs off to join Pikachu.

"Now that was rather clever Ashy." Serena says before giving Ash a peck on the cheeks.

"Well we rarely get any alone time so how could I not do that." Ash says before kissing Serena on the lips which she reciprocates.

 **(Meanwhile in Diantha's Office)**

"Where did Ash and Serena disappear? Lance?" Diantha asks Lance.

"I don't know Diantha. One of my men was tailing them but he hasn't checked in since the last 10 minutes." Lance says in a worried tone. He takes out his radio and flicks a switch.

"Well has the agent checked in?" Lance asks in an impatient tone.

"No sir. We are sending another agent to his last checked in spot." A voice replies.

"I have a better idea. Send one of those small drones we have developed. That will be more discrete." Lance says.

"Roger that sir." The voice replies.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Well we are getting reading on infrared sensors so the video shall come up on the screen in 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1." Lance says as the footage comes on the screen.

Everyone get embarrassed to see Ash and Serena wrapped around each other, making out without a care in the world. Serena is giggling in delight as Ash is tickling and kissing her at the same time.

"U mm. I think that's enough investigation for today. We should give the love birds their privacy." Diantha says to which Lance agrees and switches the footage off in an embarrassed manner.

"Best if we keep this to ourselves. I don't want Ash and Serena thinking that we are creeps." Cynthia says to which Diantha and Lance agree.

 **(Back in the Garden)**

"Well let's go on a lunch in Lumiose City. Why not go with our moms?" Ash asks.

"Well that sounds like a good idea? But why Lumiose city why not go somewhere else and have lunch? It will be a good change. Every time we go out to eat we end up going to Lumiose City." Serena says.

"Now things are getting interesting. I'll bite. What are you thinking?" Ash asks in a interested tone.

"Do you remember where my Master Class was held?" Serena says.

"I do. Why?" Ash asks.

"Well there was a lovely restaurant there where we could have food while sitting at a place which overlooks this pristine lush green beautiful valley. Even the sun set is very beautiful. What do you say?" Serena asks.

"To that I say perfect." Ash says before kissing Serena one more time.

"OK. First let me call our moms and see if they are free to do that." Serena says after separating for air.

"Go on." Ash says as Serena takes out her phone.

"Hey mom. Can you talk?" Serena says after the line finally connects.

"Hey sweetheart what happened?" Grace says.

"Well mom Ash and I were thinking that ... " Serena says as she tells Grace about her and Ash's plan.

"Well since I am free I don't see what's the problem. Also don't worry about Delia she is free as well. We will see you in exactly an hour and a half from now. Don't worry about permission from Diantha. You leave that to me and Delia. Just take care of the transportation details of the flight details. OK. See you sweethearts at the airport." Grace replies.

"OK mom that sounds fantastic. Love you bye." Serena says before cutting the call.

"Well let's go back to the apartment. Get dressed. Take all the necessary items. Make all the arrangements and be on our way." Serena says.

"OK. Let's go." Ash says while lifting Serena in bridal style.

"Ash. you always know how to make me smile and laugh." Serena says sweetly while blushing.

"Of course. If I can't make you smile then what good am I as your boyfriend." Ash says before allowing Serena to stand on her feet.

"Shall we go?" Serena replies.

"Ladies first." Ash says as he gestures his hand for Serena to go first.


	57. Taking a Break

**(2 Hours Later)**

"Well I must say Serena this was a nice idea. Taking a break from all the hustle bustle of KIP was just what we needed." Grace says as she smiles with Delia.

"Well with all the craziness that has come into our lives it doesn't hurt to take a break once in a while. Arceus only know that Ash and I were getting sick of Lance's G Men following us everywhere. Also by doing this we can all enjoy a nice family getaway before the Tournament starts." Serena says as she looks out of the window of the plane.

"An excellent idea Serena. I agree." Delia says as Ash comes into the room with 4 glasses and 2 bottles of champagne. He is followed by an air hostess who brings more assorted treats like Strawberries, Puffs, Moomoo milkshakes, Bacon fries etc on a tray. Everyone helps themselves to a glass.

"To Serena the most beautiful girl of my dreams." Ash says while smiling and toasting to her.

"Hear hear." Grace and Delia say in unison while smiling while Serena acknowledges the toast with lightly blushing cheeks. All 4 of them take a sip of their wine.

"In that case I propose another toast to Ash the best boyfriend a girl can hope for." Serena says with a wink causing Ash to blush and Grace and Delia to smile and giggle.

"Why thank you my sweet." Ash says as everyone takes another sip of their wine.

"Well Serena aren't we forgetting someone else as well?" Ash says causing Grace and Delia to give them both a confused look as they both smile at each other. Serena gets up and they both turn to Grace and Delia in unison with a broad smile on their faces.

"A toast to the mothers who have raised us. Who have put their blood, sweat and tears into grooming us into what we are right. A toast to those without whose support, protection, guidance and love we would not be where we are. We love you mom." Ash and Serena say in unison as Grace and Delia get emotional and wipe a few tears.

"Oh you two come here." Grace says as the 4 of them share a emotional group hug.

 **(Meanwhile in a secretive desolate location in the Kanto Region)**

"Alright dad you sent for us?" Calem says as he walks into the office with his sister Ariel.

"Yes I did. Take a seat." Giovanni says as his chair turns around revealing a Persian curled in his lap. Calem and Ariel take the seats in front of them.

"So did you think over the proposition I put before you last night?" Giovanni says.

"Well we did." Ariel says.

"And?" Giovanni asks in a hopeful tone.

"We will do it. When you rule the world we want to rule beside you." Calem says causing Giovanni to give a proud malicious smile.

"Very well follow me." Giovanni says in a soft ominous tone as he pushes a statue kept on his desk causing the bookshelf behind him to slide to reveal a secret passageway to the surprise of Calem and Ariel.

"Dad what's through there?" Calem asks.

"Your destiny." Giovanni says as he walks though the passageway.

"Well come on." He says causing Calem and Ariel to follow suit following which the bookshelf moves automatically to hide the passageway once more.

 **(2 hours Later)**

"The last time we were here you won the master class Serena dear." Delia says as everyone gets of the plane.

"Yes. That was your best performance so far. It was beautiful." Grace says as Serena gives them both a bow.

"So what's the plan of action?" Ash asks after he has finished loading everyone's luggage into Serena's limousine.

"Well I was thinking like this. Why not we go for our lunch. Then we set of for a little trek. There was this lovely place I spent sometime with my Pokemon a day or two before the master class. The walk is through the woods. It's quite good. The scenic beauty, lush pastures, sparkling dew drop falling from the trees, Pokemon calling to each other, Pristine water flowing in the scene and the air which feels so good that you would want to get drunk on it." Serena says.

"That sound lovely." Delia says to everyone's agreement.

"Then after we come back after our tiring trek it will be evening. Nothing like a spa to relax ourselves. Following which we return to the airport and then back to KIP within 3 hours around dinner time." Serena says causing Grace and Delia's eyes to become lively upon hearing the word spa.

"Well that is decided so let's get going." Ash says as everyone starts walking towards the car.

Ash gets the door and opens it. "Madam." He says as he gestures Serena to go in first.

"Why thank you kind sir." Serena says in a sweet playing along voice with a faint blush on her cheeks while getting in.

"I didn't know my little boy had become such a gentleman." Delia says as she gets in after Serena.

"Well I wonder whose influence could be responsible for that?" Ash asks Grace is a rhetoric playful manner.

Grace smiles, pats Ash's face and then gets in as well.

"Come on Pikachu." Serena says as Pikachu leaps of Ash's shoulder and jumps onto his favorite position in Serena's lap.

Ash smiles on seeing that, enters last and then closes the door.

"Bristol Hotel. _Tout Suite_ Harry." Serena says while stroking Pikachu.

"We'll be there in no time Serena." Harry says as the car starts moving.

 **(1 Hour Later)**

"You were right. This restaurant is just as good as Le Cirque if not more." Grace says as she inspects the ambiance while taking a seat.

"Actually this restaurant and Le Cirque are 2 restaurants from the same franchise." Serena says.

"Really I didn't know that! How did you know that?" Grace asks.

"Well before I went away last time one Ash's advice I went to try to buy this chain of 2 restaurants seeing as how fond I was of it." Serena says.

"What? You wanted to buy Le Cirque & this restaurant? Do you have any idea how expensive these restaurants are?" Grace says in a concerned tone.

"Yup I know I was just 3.5 million Poke Francs short even after all the money I got from my business deal after retaining my position." Serena says while sweat dropping.

"Good. I didn't want you blowing up your savings just so that you could buy these 2 outrageously expensive restaurants." Grace says in a more relieved tone.

"Well." Serena starts causing Grace to peer into her eyes again.

"Well what Serena?" Grace asks in a serious tone causing Serena to go quiet for a moment.

"When Palermo found out what I was trying to do she bought 60% of the chain and I bought the remaining 40% of it." Serena says quickly causing Grace and Delia to go blank for a minute.

"Told you that would happen." Ash says to Serena earning him a stern look from Delia.

"What were you thinking? You couldn't afford it so you asked Palermo to help out! She has earned her money by doing hard work. Just because you couldn't afford the restaurant chain that doesn't mean you should ask your mentor for help. How could you do this? You didn't think of even telling me about this." Grace says in a loud voice.

"No no. Don't get me wrong. I was going to drop the deal but Palermo with her vast network of contacts found out and she herself told me she had been wanting to buy the chain for quite a while but was looking for a partner to run it. She insisted on me being her partner. Please you can ask her yourself when you see her next time. Just don't get mad." Serena says quickly while trying to pacify her mother.

"Why wait when I am already here." A voice says causing all 4 of them to get surprised. They all turn to find Palermo standing.

"Palermo what are you doing here?" Serena says in a surprised tone.

"Well I just came to inspect the 1 of the 2 restaurants I bought with you as my partner. I came her for an inspection and look who I found." Palermo says while giving a warm smile.

"Palermo I am sorry for what Serena did regarding these 2 restaurants. Please accept my sincerest apologies." Grace says to which Palermo stops her.

"It's not Serena's fault. I was actually wanting to buy the chain myself. But I was having difficulty finding a partner who would invest that kind of money while giving me the majority stake. So in reality I should be the one apologizing for insisting Serena invest in the endeavor." Palermo says.

"Well I know whatever decision you take will be for Serena's well being. But next time just keep me in the loop. I am her mother. I have a right to know." Grace says in a more relieved and calm tone.

"Of course I shall. Well I must take my leave now." Palermo says while turning around attempting to leave.

"Wait Mrs. Palermo. Where are you going? Why don't you join us?" Ash offers her.

"Young man I must decline this request. I am late for a meeting. But it was good to run into you 2 here. I thought I would see you two tomorrow. But I guess this was even better. You know what. This meal is on me. Have whatever you like. Consider it a treat celebrating our partnership association." Palermo says.

"Palermo you shouldn't." Serena says only to be cut off.

"Nonsense. You shouldn't tell me what I should do and what I shouldn't. This meal is on me. That is that. I will see you tomorrow in KIP." Palermo says in a final way as she walks out of the restaurant.

"Well I guess that's that. Who are we to refuse such a gracious offer?" Ash says causing Serena to suppress a giggle.

"Well let's order but next time Serena do tell me before you make such big decisions regarding your life." Grace says as she opens the menu card in front of her.

"I will." Serena says as everyone begins going through the selection of dishes available.

 **(45 Minutes Later)**

"Delicious." Serena says as she and Ash finish their spaghetti and meatballs in tomato based sauce.

"Indeed. That Ravioli was divine." Delia says.

"So was that Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla Ice cream and Mango Jelly." Grace says.

"Alright now that this is over. Let's meet outside in exactly 1 hour. Then we shall go on the trek." Serena says.

"Whatever the Queen orders." Ash says while getting up.

"Hear hear." Grace and Delia reply in unison after following suit.

 **(2 hours 30 minutes Later)**

"Serene we have been walking for 90 minutes straight. Can we take a breather please." Grace says while she and Delia and heavily panting.

"Well it's only half an hour away. But let's stop for a bit after all you are not as young as you used to be." Serena says while laying her bag pack to the ground.

"Anyone needs water?" Ash asks after drinking some.

"Please pass it here." Delia says as she takes the bottle out of Ash's hands and starts drinking in the middle of the gasps of air. After drinking her fill Delia passes the bottle to Grace who also drinks the water before passing it back to Ash.

"Alright let's go." Serena says as she and Ash get their bag packs on.

"What we just stopped. Our feet are still aching." Grace says.

"Oh come on it's just half an hour away besides Ash and I are carrying the baggage. If you don't know that this pain you are referring to doesn't exist anywhere apart from your mind." Serena says.

"Spare me that Dragon Emperor's philosophy. I am not moving an inch for at least 10 minutes." Grace says in a final way. Serena lets out a sigh then tosses a Poke-ball to release Rhyhorn.

"Rhyhorn sweetie will you carry Mom and Delia for me." Serena asks to which Rhyhorn agrees.

"Alright here you go. Climb on." Serena says.

"Well it seems you have been taking good care of Rhyhorn." Grace says as she climbs onto Rhyhorn's back after Delia.

"Thanks. Now let's go." Serena says as she and Ash start walking with Rhyhorn carrying Grace and Delia.

 **(20 Minutes Later)**

"Wow. Exquisite." Grace says as she gets of Rhyhorn and takes a look around.

"It's like a paradise." Delia says as she looks down into a pristine valley where there are all kinds of flower in bloom with all sorts of Pokemon playing. Further down the valley Couriway town can be seen. On the other end there is a crystal clear stream which separates the clearing where the 4 are located from the local mountainous terrain.

"Well I told you it will be beautiful. Didn't I?" Serena says.

"Yes you did. It's just." Ash says before stopping. he becomes frustrated and says "Argh what's the word that I was thinking of. Ah yes Pure. This place is just pure." Ash says as he recalls the word.

"Yup that's exactly what I thought when I came here with Delphox and Sylveon." Serena says as she remembers the day she found it.

"Really what happened. Did you guys go somewhere? Or did you just stay around here." Ash asks.

"Mostly we just relaxed here. We ate Poke-puffs and roamed around a bit." Serena replies.

"Cool." Ash says as he sees Pikachu playing Catch with Rhyhorn.

"That hits the spot." Grace says as she and Delia put their sore feet into the cool running water of the stream.

"Ash Serena. Come put your feet in as well. It's not cold but very cool and relaxing." Delia says to the pair.

"Yup we are coming." Ash says as he takes Serena's hand and runs off to join the 2 mothers in their time of bliss.

 **(30 Minutes later)**

"I know it's been almost half and hour but I don't want to move an inch." Grace says to which Delia agrees.

"Well we need to go back at some point of time. But but no need to rush. We can stay here for another 40 minutes or so." Serena says as everyone agrees and closes their eyes to enjoy the harmony in peace.

Suddenly a rustling noise is heard causing Ash and Serena to get cautious.

"Mom. Stay alert we are not alone." Serena says as they shake Grace and Delia to get wary as well.

"Follow me quick and keep quiet." Serena says as she leads Ash, Grace and Delia to hid behind some big boulders.

"What is it Serena?" Grace whispers.

"I am not sure. But we are not alone." Serena says as she and Ash look around intently.

"There." Ash says when he points to a Noivern which is flying on top of a mountain.

"I see it. It's a Noivern. What's there to panic about?" Grace says.

"That Noivern is almost twice as big as a normal Noivern." Serena replies before turning to Ash.

"What is he doing here?" Serena asks Ash who shrugs his shoulders indicating he doesn't know.

"Who is he Serena?" Delia asks in a hushed tone.

"Dragon Emperor of course. He is riding his Noivern but the question is why is he here?" Serena says.

Suddenly the Noivern pulls into a steep nose dive and after nose diving for a while then suddenly opens his wings just before hitting the treeline. It shoots over the treeline with incredible speed with the trees shaking violently as it flies over them. Suddenly it again starts to fly directly upwards and starts gaining altitude fast.

"What's he doing?" Grace asks Serena and As who are observing the whole scene in pin drop silence.

"How would we know? Now keep silent will you?" Ash and Serena reply in unison.

Suddenly Noivern reaches the level of the crowd and they get their heart in their mouth when they see Dragon Emperor free fall to the ground at an ever increasing speed with Noivern flying exactly where it was.

"Whats he doing?" Grace asks in a panicked state.

"I think the more important question is why is his Noivern not flying down to catch him before he hit the ground?" Serena replies in a concerned yet calm state as she sees Dragon Emperor's free falling body is not far from colliding with the ground.

Suddenly Noivern dives down after the Dragon Emperor with the speed of a bullet. All 4 watch the spectacle with baited breath and with hearts in their mouth. Seconds before he is about to hit the ground Noivern manages to get under his free falling body. Dragon Emperor lands on Noivern's back on his two bent legs and 2 hands and both Noivern and Dragon Emperor manage to pull out the vertical falling velocity and fly out together in horizontal direction with very fast speed.

"He's coming this way. Get down." Serena says as she sees Dragon Emperor and Noivern flying towards their direction with great speed.

As all 4 of them are bent down between the rock they see Noivern fly above them so fast that all they can see is a blackish purple blur. They get up and see Noivern flying normally at a reduced pace.

"Wait a minute. Where is he?" Ash says as he sees Dragon Emperor not present on the flying Noivern's back.

"I am right here." Dragon Emperor says from behind them causing all 4 of them to get jump in surprise at this sudden appearance.

"Dragon Emperor you need to stop freaking people out like that." Ash and Serena say in unison.

"That may be but the more important question is what are you 4 doing here when you should be away at KIP enjoying?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"U mm. We came here for a family getaway. We didn't know you would be here." Serena says.

"I see. It would appear that you too have found this little stretch of paradise near Couriway town. I take it you came here for a picnic or something similar?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Yes you are right. We came out here for a trek." Ash replies.

"I am always right." Dragon Emperor says causing the 4 of them to sweat drop.

"If you don't mind me asking what were you doing? Trying to kill yourself?" Ash asks to which Dragon Emperor laughs.

"You almost died. Your bones would have been ground to dust had that Noivern made a split second delay in catching you and you find it amusing?" Delia asks as Noivern comes and lands next to Dragon Emperor.

"Calm down that was just a treat for my Noivern for the good job he did for keeping a look out on Ash while he was training in the wild for 3 months." Dragon Emperor replies causing all 4 of their jaws to drop.

"That was a treat?" Grace asks in a bewildered tone.

"Yes it was. You see my Noivern is very fond on Dragon Jumping." Dragon Emperor replies while putting Noivern back in it's Poke-ball.

"Dragon Jumping?" Serena asks in an inquisitive tone.

"Dragon Jumping is a maneuver where the trainer jumps of the back of a Dragon type capable of flying from a very high altitude. As the trainer falls the Dragon type stay exactly where it is. Depending on the distance to ground, speed, acceleration etc the Dragon type then goes into a nose dive at a faster pace than trainer. The condition is that the time of the dive must be timed so that the trainer who lands on the back of the Dragon does so in such a way that he does not hurt himself or hi Dragon. In this case the Dragon acts as a decelerator agent for the trainer and just a second before colliding with the ground the Dragon must pull out of the vertical motion and go into a horizontal motion with the an increased speed of the momentum provided from the vertical nose dive. It is the backbone of the ancient art of Dragon back combat. Mastery of Dragon Jumping is a must for a Dragon Master." Dragon Emperor says.

Ash and Serena are ecstatic while Grace and Delia are horrified.

"Can you teach us?" Ash and Serena ask in unison causing Grace and Delia to get even more panicked.

"Sure why not." Dragon Emperor replies to which Ash and Serena fist bump each other while Grace and Delia are about to object to this decision.

"Then I can hack into your bank account and buy myself properties over all the regions. Don't you think so Serena." Dragon Emperor says causing Ash and Serena to realize that his first yes was sarcastic in nature. The mothers breathe a sigh of relief.

"Dragon Jumping takes years of practice, focus and nerves. Before learning to run at least learn to crawl." Dragon Emperor says causing Ash and Serena to get disappointed.

"U mm." Ash begin to say something before being cut of by Dragon Emperor.

"You can U mm all you want but my answer is no. While no one in the history of Pokemon masters has died from learning Dragon Jumping but what future awaits either of you if you try it without my supervision has just been aptly described by Ash's mom already a few moments ago." Dragon Emperor says.

"Actually it's not that. What I wanted to ask was regarding an event taking place tomorrow at KIP." Ash says.

"Go on." Dragon Emperor says.

"Well." Ash says as he explains to Dragon Emperor about the visit from Alola school in KIP.

"I see. No need to go ahead. You will receive my instructions by tomorrow." Dragon Emperor says.

"But I haven't asked you my question yet." Ash says.

"I know. But I also know what questions you are going to ask. Like I said you will receive instructions tomorrow. Not another word. Now it's starting to get dark so we must part ways here and you must head down to Couriway town. But before that I have a present for your mothers." Dragon Emperor says.

"For us?" Delia and Grace ask in unison.

"For them?" Ash and Serena say with equal shock.

"Yes. Here you go." Dragon Emperor says as hands both Grace and Delia a Poke-ball each.

"U mm." Both of them say in unison unsure of why Dragon Emperor is giving them a Pokemon.

"Go on. Release them." Dragon Emperor says in an encouraging tone.

"Wow a shiny Rhyhorn!" Grace exclaims as she examines the Pokemon.

"A shiny Vivillon!" Delia says as she looks at the beautiful Pokemon in front of her.

"Thank you. But why are you giving them to us?" Grace asks as both she and Delia return the Pokemon to their Poke-balls.

"A token of appreciation for allowing me to train your children. But now I must get going. Ash and Serena before you receive my instructions you will not have any further discussions regarding tomorrows event got it?" Dragon Emperor says to which Ash and Serena nod.

"What instructions? Is it regarding the Alolan Pokemon Ash and Serena got from you?" Grace asks.

"You could say that. But you will find out tomorrow. It should be quite the spectacle. Now before I leave Ash and Serena what did you learn from watching me do Dragon jumping?" Dragon Emperor asks Ash and Serena.

"U mm. That it was risky?" Ash says in bashful tone.

"Correct which is why you are not to do it without my presence. I don't want either of you ending as a heap of shattered bones and other tissues. But what else?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"You were calm throughout the course of your fall." Serena says.

"Yes. Why is that?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Because only when you are calm can you make the right split second decision." Serena says.

"Correct but more importantly I was calm because I had nothing to worry about when I was falling. For that matter nobody has anything to worry about when they are falling. Do you know why?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"I don't know." Serena replies.

"You see it's because it's not the fall that breaks you. It's the landing." Dragon Emperor replies causing all four of them to go silent.

"Now the job that the 2 of you have is to figure out how this fits in with I told you about the journey of life." Dragon Emperor says before brandishing his cloak and teleporting away.

"That man has a penchant for drama." Delia says.

"Yes but his word though may sound charlatan like actually have a lot of depth in them." Grace says to everyone's agreement.

"Well he is not wrong that it is starting to get dark. So let's hit the road back to Couriway town." Serena says as everyone agrees and leaves.


	58. An Alolan Morning

**(Next Morning)**

"Welcome one. Welcome all. I am your champion Diantha and I welcome all of you to another spectacular morning in KIP. As some of you may already know that today we are going to be welcoming some special guests who arrived in KIP last night. So now without further ado everyone please join me in welcoming certain honored guests from the Alola region. First up we have Prof. Samson Oak who is the distant cousin of Prof. Oak who teaches at KIP. He is the head of the Pokemon school there and specializes in studying the unique characteristic s of Alolan Pokemon and in particular the Totem Pokemon. Welcome Professor." Diantha says as she joins everyone in the welcoming cheer for the Prof. The moment Prof. arrives Diantha gives him a firm look reminding him of the conversation they had last night about not imitating Pokemon on the stage.

"Thank you Champion Diantha. Alola to all of you as well. My name is Prof. Samson Oak and it is an honor to be present in one of the most prestigious Pokemon studying institutions of the world. Back in the Alola region I am the headmaster of the Alolan school of Pokemon. The Alola region is different from other regions in terms of a lot of things. For instance the weather of the Alola region is much more tropical compared to that of Kalos. In fact it is this difference in climate which has a large impact on the peculiar variations in Pokemon found only in the Alola region as compared to other region. For example please observe." Oak says while tossing 2 Poke-balls. Both reveal an Exeggutor. One is a normal Exeggutor and the other is an Alolan Exeggutor.

A lot of Oohs and Aahs can be heard in the crowd as they look at the small normal Exeggutor and its counterpart the very tall Alolan Exeggutor. Even Diantha looks impressed.

"Due to the tropical climate of Alola, the region receives more heat, sunshine and rain. These factors are responsible for the Alolan Exeggutor to have a much taller height. Furthermore even though both are Exeggutor but their types are different. The normal Exeggutor is a Grass and Psychic type whereas the Alolan Exeggutor has a Grass and Dragon Type. As you can see Alola is a very promising region in terms of adventure and Pokemon related activities like training, coordinating etc." Oak says before giving a bow, recalling the 2 Exeggutor and walking away.

"Thank you Prof. That was most enlightening indeed. Now welcoming our next guest we have Prof. Kukui and his wife Prof. Burnet who also research in the Alola region. Prof. Kukui researches on the energy Pokemon emitted by Pokemon when battling and Prof. Burnet researches on Pokemon and other dimensions." Diantha says as the two Professors come into view, give a wave and then stand next to Prof. Oak.

"Now the interesting thing about the Alola region is despite having so many specialties. Alola region does not have any gyms or even a Pokemon league for that matter." Diantha continues before pausing. On hearing this the entire crowd starts to murmur.

"Instead Pokemon trainers who travel there get to face a different type of challenge. This is known as the Island Grand Trial. The Alola region consists of 4 natural islands and 1 artificial island. Each of the natural islands has an island challenge which is similar to a gym battle but instead of getting a gym badge the trainer earns a Z Crystal. Every island has an Island Kahuna who must be defeated in order to earn the Z Crystal. So allow me to introduce 2 of the 4 Island Kahunas who have traveled all the way here. Olivia from Akala island and Hala from Melemele Island." Diantha says as she starts clapping as Hala and Olivia come to the stage. Soon the entire stadium erupts in cheer.

"These 2 have agreed to hold demonstrations of what Z moves are and how they can be used. So if any of you is interested in getting to know more about the Alola regions you know who to go to." Diantha says as Olivia and Hala bow and walk of.

"Moving on we have the President of the prestigious Aether Foundation Mrs. Lusamine and her workers. The Aether Foundation is a foundation dedicated to preserving peace and treating injured Pokemon." Diantha says as Lusamine and her assistant come on stage, give a bow and walk of.

"Now that we have met all the adults it's time to meet the children from the Pokemon school who are visiting here as well. Please join me in giving them a warm welcome." Diantha says as a group of students come on stage. The stadium erupt with cheer as all the students on stage give a wave, bow and leave.

"Right. Now time to get the main event started. Within 10 Minutes we shall have an exhibition battle between Hala the Melemele Island Kahuna and your beloved water type Elite four trainer Seibold." Diantha says as the crowd goes wild and starts whistling and cheering. Diantha smiles and walks off.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"This will be a One on One battle. No time limit. Are you ready?" Referee says as both Hala and Seibold nod.

"Hariyama battle stance." Hala says while throwing his Poke-ball.

"Blastoise lets go." Seibold says while tossing his.

"Hariyama Bulk Up let's go." Hala says.

"Blastoise Mega Evolve." Seibold says as he touches his keystone.

"Hydro Pump." Seibold says after Blastoise has finished Mega Evolving.

"Block it with Arm Thrust." Hala counters. Hariyama gets pushed back but otherwise looks unscathed.

"Get in close, Thunder Punch both hands then Close Combat." Hala commands as Hariyama runs towards Blastoise with 2 fists Coursing with electricity.

"Power Up Punch to block it." Seibold Counters.

An Explosion takes place with both being sent back.

"Skull Bash." Seibold Commands.

"Brick Break." Hala counters with Hariyama this time being the one getting pushed back more than Blastoise.

"keep up the pressure. Ice Beam let's go." Seibold commands.

"Arm Thrust into the ground in front of you." Hala says as a rock protrudes out of the ground in front of Hariyama which takes the hit of the Ice Beam and gets frozen.

"Rock Smash then Superpower." Hala commands with a smirk while Seibold get shocked.

"Iron Defense." Seibold says moments before Blastoise is pelted by Frozen Shards of Rock and then sent flying by Superpower.

"Time to end this Hariyama use Belly Drum." Hala commands.

"Blastoise Withdraw." Seibold says.

"Alright let's go Hariyama." Hala says while striking a pose.

"Withdraw one more time." Seibold says as Blastoise's shell glows blue one more time.

 **(Meanwhile in the VIP Box)**

Diantha has just finished introducing everyone of the KIP staff to the visitors.

"Interesting Battle." Sycamore remarks.

"Indeed. Seibold has his hands full alright." Wikstrom says.

"Yes Kahuna Hala is a tough fighter for sure." Lusamine says.

"So my cousin tells me that the Aether foundation is now focusing it's attention to the Ultra Beasts who have been causing quite a lot of trouble in Alola in the past year or so." Oak asks.

"Indeed. We are doing our best to catch them and safely transport them back to their own world to minimize collateral damage and keep Alola safe." Lusamine says.

"Hey Ash what do you think these Ultra beasts are? Dragon Emperor never mentioned them to us when he was teaching us about Z moves." Serena whispers in Ash's ear.

"Indeed. Sounds quite interesting. We'll ask him later." Ash mouths back.

 **(Back on the Battle Field)**

"I am the Kahuna of Melemele Island with the power of Melemele Island and Tapu Koko. I must fight with all I have. Time to face the power of my Z Move. Alright Hariyama All Out Pummeling go. " Hala says as Hariyama sends out wave after wave of attacks.

"Show them the power of the Elite Four. Give it everything you have go Dragon Pulse go." Seibold says as Blastoise fires 3 beams of sparkling Purple beams which combine into a Single Dragon Pulse attack.

On collision a huge explosion takes place which kicks up a sandstorm which engulfs both Seibold and Hala. When the dust clear both Pokemon lie fainted on the battlefield with Seibold and Hala panting heavily.

"Both Blastoise and Hariyama are unable to battle the match is a tie." Referee declares as the crowd erupts in cheer. Seibold and Hala recall their Pokemon and shake hands.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Now that was quite powerful." Sycamore remarks hearing which Kukui smiles.

"Yes to be able to tie with Seibold is no small feat." Diantha says.

"Well Ash what did you think of the battle?" Lance asks.

"It was OK. Nothing impressive though." Ash replies to the surprise of everyone except Serena.

"You didn't find Z moves impressive?" both the Oaks ask in unison.

"Not particularly. I prefer Mega Evolution as it offers a more overall advantage. Z move just powers up one move. But still it was a good demonstration." Ash says in an unimpressed tone.

"Nothing can beat Z moves. They are supreme." a boy of Ash's age says in an aggressive tone.

"Well that is your opinion as I am entitled to my opinion Mr?" Ash asks.

"Gladion. I an President Lusamine's son." Gladion replies.

"Well Gladion calm down. I was just stating my preference is all. Nothing to get all fired up about." Ash replies in a dismissive tone.

"Gladion he's right. Calm down. That's his opinion why are you getting all worked up." Lusamine says.

"I won't stay quiet while that boy insults the culture of Alola." Gladion says to the agreement of the other Alola students.

"Hey leave Ash out of this. He didn't insult anything or anyone. Get of your high horse." Serena says in a defensive tone.

"Now now Sere. Calm down. A little pre-battle talk is fair game I suppose. If any of you feel insulted I apologize. But I am not changing my opinion regarding what I find better." Ash says.

"Well there is only one way to settle this bout. How about a one on one battle." Lance says thinking he'll be able to observe what Ash can do after undergoing further training under the Dragon Emperor.

"I agree." Gladion says.

"Thanks but I'll pass." Ash says in an uninterested tone.

"I guess he's scared." a boy from the Alolan students says.

"And who are you?" Ash asks.

"I am Kiawe a fire type Z move trainer. I am a proud resident of Akala Island and I have beaten Olivia to earn my Z Ring and my Firium Z." Kiawe replies.

"Very well then. I accept. A one on one battle. But don't come to me crying if you lose." Ash says while smiling.

"Don't worry. For the one who crushes the KIP Champ will be me." Gladion says.

"We shall see. Diantha will you do the necessary?" Ash replies.

Diantha thinks for a while. She looks at Lance who nods his head discretely.

"Very well. Go down. Your battle will start in 10 minutes." Diantha says.

"Wish me luck mother." Gladion says.

"Best of Luck." Lusamine replies.

"Mom where is Lillie?" Gladion asks in a concerned tone.

"Oh she went out to take a look around. Don't worry. She'll be back soon." Lusamine replies.

"Best of Luck Ashy." Serena says before giving him a kiss.

 **(Meanwhile Somewhere in the Stadium)**

"Where am I? Is it the way back this way Snowy?" Lillie asks as she appears to have gotten lost.

Suddenly her foot slips and she starts falling down the stairs only to be saved by a boy with brown spiky hair.

"Mrs. are you OK?" the boy asks with a tone of concern.

"Yes I am. Thank you. And you are?" Lillie asks.

"I am Gary. Gary Oak. Grandson of Pokemon Prof. Samuel Oak of the Kanto region." Gary replies.

"Oh wow. You are the Grand Nephew of the Prof. Oak of the Alola region. It's good to meet you." Lillie replies.

"I thought you looked familiar. You are one of the students visiting from the Alola region aren't you. The ones who were standing on the stage a while back. That's a cute Alolan Vulpix you have there." Gary says as he pets Snowy who is enjoying the treatment.

"Thanks I am Lillie. The daughter of President Lusamine of the Aether Foundation." Lillie replies.

"I see. What are you doing here?" Gary asks.

"Well I was just walking with Snowy. I was trying to find my way back to the VIP Box but I got lost." Lillie confesses in somewhat of an embarrassed tone.

"Well this is a big place. So for your first time it's understandable you got lost." Gary says while smiling.

"U mm. Can you help me get back?" Lillie asks.

"Sure I can. But the thing is there is this battle starting between Ash the KIP Champ and a trainer named Gladion. I didn't want to miss that." Gary says.

"Wait Gladion is my brother. I want to see the battle as well." Lillie replies.

"Why don't you come with me to the stands. We'll sit with my friends and watch. Then I'll drop you back at the VIP Box. If we go now we'll not make it in time and miss a part of the battle." Gary says.

Lillie considers the offer for a moment then says "Sure that should be just fine. Lead the way."

Gary smiles and they both leave for the stands.

 **(Few Minutes Later in the Battlefield)**

"The One on One match between Ash the KIP Champion and Gladion will now begin. There will be no time limit. Are you both ready?" Referee asks.

Both Ash and Gladion nod.

 **(In the Stands)**

"Hey Gary where did you go and who's the girl?" Brock asks.

"I wen to the washroom. Ran into this girl on the way back. She is the sister of the guy who Ashy boy is going to battle. Her name is Lillie by the way." Gary says as she introduces Lillie to everyone.

"Well Lillie sit down. The match is starting." Lucy says.

 **(In the Battlefield)**

"I'll choose first." Gladion says.

"Be my guest." Ash replies in a calm tone.

"Lycanroc go." Gladion says as he tosses his Poke-ball to reveal a Midnight form Lycanroc.

"In that case just to make things interesting. Lycanroc go." Ash says to Gladion's surprise.

Gladion gets even more shocked when he see's Ash's Lycanroc's unusual evolved form.

 **(In the VIP Stands)**

"That is a Lycanroc? I have never seen one like it before?" Samson Oak says.

"Indeed. The unusual form is most interesting." Olivia replies.

"What do you mean ?" Diantha asks.

"Lycanroc has 2 evolved forms based on the time when Rockruff evolves. This is the Midday form and this is the Midnight form. But that Lycanroc doesn't fit any of the 2 forms." Kukui replies to everyone's shock except Serena's.

Diantha and Lance turn to Serena and says "Can you throw some light on this mysterious form of evolution?"

"Well your knowledge about Lycanroc is incomplete I see." Serena says in a calm tone.

"Then would care to complete it?" Sycamore replies.

"Lycanroc evolution is not exactly influenced by the time. To be precise it is influenced by the power of Solgaleo and Lunala." Serena says.

"You know about Solgaleo and Lunala. The legendary Pokemon of Alola?" Burnet asks in a shocked tone.

"Yes continuing. When a Rockruff evolves influenced by the power of Solgaleo in your layman terms during the day from the sunlight it evolves into a Midday form. When this happens due to the power of the moon at the night due it evolves into Midnight form due to the influence of Lunala. But there is 3rd form." Serena says before pausing for a sip of water.

"Go on." Kukui says.

"Ash's Lycanroc is neither a midday or a midnight form it is a Dusk form Lycanroc. When the evolution of Rockruff happens during Dawn or Dusk it evolves due to both the power of the sun and the moon or in other words due to the power of Solgaleo and Lunala combined. The details of how this happens you won't understand yet. But the crux of the matter is that there are 3 and not 2 forms of Lycanroc. just because the Dusk/Dawn form is rare doesn't mean it doesn't exist." Serena says.

"How do you know so much about it?" Burnet asks.

"I have my sources. But for now let's watch the battle shall we?" Serena replies.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"Battle Begin." Referee says.

"You may have the first move Gladion." Ash offers in a polite manner.

"Your weird Lycanroc doesn't scare me. Use Brick Break." Gladion orders.

"Double Team." Ash says calmly.

"Use Rock Tomb to get rid of the fakes." Gladion orders after his Brick Break fails.

"Jump on the rocks then use Accelerock." Ash commands.

"Counter with Focus Punch." Gladion says.

However the Accelerock proves to be too powerful and Gladion's Lycanroc is sent flying.

'What power? Can't underestimate him.' Gladion thinks to himself.

"Use Leer." Gladion commands.

Ash does nothing.

"Now use Rock Slide." Gladion shouts.

"Blow them away with Outrage." Ash commands.

Gladion clenches hist fist in anger as one after another all of his attacks fail.

"Stone Edge go." Gladion shouts.

"We'll Use Stone Edge as well." Ash says while smirking.

Ash's Stone Edge overpowers Gladion' Stone Edge and his Lycanroc is sent flying.

"Lycanroc." Gladion shouts with concern as his Lycanroc struggles to stand up. Gladion breathes a sigh of relief when his trusted partner get back up on his feet. But the moment he sees Ash smirking he gets angry and frustrated.

"I guess we have no choice. Are you ready Lycanroc?" Gladion asks his Lycanroc who gives a bark to signal he is ready.

"This is all of our power combined. The Rockium Z Crystal give our bond the shape of power. Let's go. Continental Crush." Gladion says while striking the pose for Continental Crush.

"Don't panic Lycanroc stay right there." Ash says in a reassuring way as a huge mountain like large boulder comes crashing down towards his Lycanroc.

The move meets it's mark and a huge explosion takes place covering the arena in dust.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"Looks like Gladion won." Kiawe shouts as he and the other cheer along with everyone from the Alola region.

"Not bad." Serena says to everyone's surprise before pausing for a moment.

"But not good enough." Serena says causing the cheering to go silent.

"What do you mean. Everyone who has been hit with Gladion's Z move before have all been defeated." Hala says in a surprised tone.

"I guess there is a first time for everything. Just watch." Serena replies in a calm tone.

Everyone from the Alola region turn their attention back to the battlefield.

 **(Back on the battlefield)**

"Not bad Gladion. Your Z Move's power exceeded my expectation." Ash replies as the dust is about to settle.

"Words spoken by every trainer who has lost to me." Gladion replies in an arrogant tone.

"Careful Gladion. Pride comes before the fall." Ash says as Gladion's expression turn to one of shock as he sees Ash's Lycanroc quite bruised and tired and panting but still conscious.

"B B But how?" Gladion blurts out.

"Well don't feel too bad. You did put up a good fight but now I have another surprise for you." Ash says with a smirk.

"It withstood a direct Z move. What surprise can be left?" Gladion asks.

"This." Ash says as he shows Gladion his hand. He then pulls down the sleeve of his shirt revealing a Z Ring and a Rockium Z on it. Everyone in the stadium gets shocked at this revelation instead of Serena.

"Let's do this Lycanroc." Ash says while striking a pose to which Lycanroc howls in agreement.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

Everyone is shocked to see that Ash has a Z ring of his own and a Z Crystal as well. Diantha, Grace, Delia, Lance, Sycamore and Oak turn to Serena to see her chuckling. On seeing them looking shocked she smiles and rolls up her sleeve to reveal her own Z ring and a Firium Z on it to the further shock of everyone.

"How did you get them?" Diantha asks in a flabbergasted tone.

"How do you think we got them?" Serena replies knowing Diantha will realize on her own who gave them both the Z rings.

"It's not important how I got them. I suggest you all watch the climax. It will be quite the spectacle I assure you. Should end with a bang" Serena says with a hint of pride and arrogance in her voice. On hearing her everyone turns their attention back to the battlefield.

 **(Back on the Battlefield)**

"Continental Crush." Ash says as his Lycanroc jumps high in the sky.

Everyone's jaw drops as the size of his continental crush is around twice as big of that of Gladion's Continental Crush.

"Aim it so that it's not a direct hit. Finish it." Ash says as his Lycanroc launches the attack.

The Z Move hits and an explosion takes place which completely wrecks the arena and kicks up a dust bowl that engulfs everything.

Gladion has shielded his face with his hands to avoid any possible debris from hitting his face.

After the dust has settled Gladion finds his Lycanroc fainted and covered in bruises. He runs over to his Lycanroc and hugs it.

"Don't worry. It will be fine. Here take this Pecha and Oran Berry." Ash says as he tosses the berries to Gladion who feeds them to his Lycanroc and takes him to the Pokemon health Center.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

Everyone except Serena stands on their feet with their jaws dropped as they see Ash's Continental Crush attack is around twice as big as Gladion's Z Move.

"Check." Serena says loudly while getting up causing everyone to look at her with shock.

"And Mate." Serena says while snapping her fingers the moment the comet like boulder comes down toward the ground. A look of horror appears on everyone's faces.

"Don't worry both Gladion and his Lycanroc will be alright. Dragon Emperor had instructed us not to aim the Z Move directly. Ash's move is not hitting it's mark. Gladion's Lycanroc will be taken out by the power of the fallout from the attack no worries." Serena says in a reassuring way a moment before the explosion takes place.

"However the same can't be said for the KIP Stadium I am afraid." Serena says causing Diantha and Sycamore to gulp.

 **(In the Stands)**

"I can't believe brother lost so badly. This is his first defeat in 2 years." Lillie says in a sad tone.

"It's OK. Everyone loses once in a while. Besides your brother's defeat was certain." Brock says.

"What do you mean?" Lillie asks.

"Well you do know who Ash and Serena's teacher is don't you?" Gary asks to which Lillie replies "No."

"Well. You might want to brace yourself for what you will hear." Brock says.


	59. An Alolan Evening

**(At the Pokemon Center)**

Everyone except Ash and Serena are waiting outside the Pokemon center with nervousness. Suddenly the light outside the Operation Theater turns from red to blue and nurse Joy comes out.

"Nurse Joy is my Lycanroc going to be alright?" Gladion asks with concern.

"Yes not to worry. 1 Full day rest and it should recover completely." Joy replies before going away. Everyone of the people from the Alola region breathe a sigh of relief.

"See I told you nothing will happen. Nothing to worry about." Serena replies which earns her "Are you kidding me?" stares from the people present.

"That's not the point. Ash should have restrained himself. It's one thing to fight and another to show of to the point that his Lycanroc destroys the KIP stadium." Diantha says in a reprimanding tone.

"Don't look at me like that. I didn't want to fight in the first place but Mr. Gladion here wouldn't let it go." Ash replies.

"So you almost kill his Lycanroc with such a powerful move?" Rowan asks.

"The Z Move did not hit it's mark. I assure you that his Lycanroc was not in any danger." Ash replies.

"So we heard." Rowan says in a disapproving tone while looking at Serena.

"How did the 2 of you get a Z Ring and a Z Crystal in the first place. I don't think you have ever been to the Alola region before." Hala asks.

"That's something I can answer. Both of them got their rings and crystals from Dragon Emperor." Diantha replies.

"Yes we did. Both Serena and I have all 18 different Z crystals and a few Pokemon specific Z crystals as well." Ash replies to the shock of all the visitors from the Alola region as they have never heard any trainer having so many let alone more that 18 different type of Z crystals.

"Why didn't you tell us that you had got Z rings and Z Crystals and why have you never used them before?" Lance asks.

"Dragon Emperor told us not to use them without his explicit permission. You all saw how powerful the moves were. The damage they caused. Such power should be used with extreme caution." Serena replies.

"But when we heard about the Alolan visit we received instructions from the Dragon Emperor who told us that we can use the Z move only if our opponent uses it as well. Furthermore the attack that we land must not be a direct attack." Ash replies.

"I see. So that is what the instructions were that Dragon Emperor was talking about yesterday." Grace says to which Ash and Serena nod.

"Excuse me but I have a question." Kukui says.

"Go on." Ash replies.

"One thing I don't get is how did your Z move get so powerful? Judging from the size of the Continental crush of your Lycanroc and that of Gladion's your move was almost 2 times as powerful as his from a layman perspective." Kukui asks.

"I get the feeling you want to elaborate a little bit more. Kindly do so." Ash replies.

"Well I study the energy emitted by Pokemon during their battles. For the past 3 years I have been studying the energy emitted by Pokemon when using Z moves in particular. What I wish to know is what made your Z move so much more powerful than Gladion's" Kukui asks.

"Well there are several factors. First of course is the difference in the level of the trainer and that of the Pokemon. Now the other factors you won't understand so I will tell you about the one you can. It was the imperfection in the Z move pose struck by Gladion." Serena replies.

"I don't understand. Gladion had been performing the rock type Z move for more than 2 years. If there as a fault in it then the move wouldn't have performed in the first place." Kukui says.

"You misunderstand. I said imperfection and not error. Gladion's pose while sufficiently correct to allow the Z move to occur needs a lot of polishing. Due to the imperfect and robust lacking nature of the poses the power that is flowing from Gladion to his Lycanroc while performing the Z move gets diminished resulting in a weaker Z move." Serena says to everyone's shock.

"What do you mean?" Kukui asks in a confused tone.

"Every pose be struck in a particular way. For instance when you bend your left knee on the final pose of Rockium Z Move it must be bent in the form of a right angle. Then and only then does the maximum amount of transition of power takes place. Gladion will have to work on perfecting his poses should he wish to better his Z move. Each pose must be flowing with strength and passion." Serena says.

"I have strength and passion." Gladion retorts.

"You may have strength and passion but what do you fight for at the end of the day is what needs work. Besides one can only go so far on the perfect score. The only one who can achieve more than that is yourself." Ash says causing Gladion to go silent.

"How do you know so much about Z moves?" Samson Oak asks in a confused tone.

"We have our source." Serena says before smiling and then taking her leave along with Ash.

'Indeed you do. The question is how to find out more about your source.' Lance thinks to himself.

 **(Meanwhile in the KIP Cafeteria)**

"Are you kidding me? The teacher of those 2 beat all the champions combined!" Lillie repeats as she looks at everyone with shock.

"Yup. According to Gramps he call himself the Dragon Emperor and says that he is a Pokemon master." Gary replies.

"But what surprises me is how you haven't heard about him or seen his battle with the champions. It was broadcasted worldwide and in all the regions. In fact that is why all the leagues have been suspended for the moment." Brock asks.

"Well Alola doesn't have a league. So that's why we didn't hear about it." Lillie replies in a somewhat embarrassed tone.

"Well in that case why don't you take a look. This is the video of his battle with the champions and then the battle with Ash and Serena." Gary says as he hands his Poke-pad to Lillie.

"I can? Thank you so much." Lillie says as she presses the start button.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"I don't believe it." Lillie says as she hands Gary his Poke-pad back after watching the 2 battles.

"I know. We didn't either after we saw it as well." Gary replies.

On hearing that Lillie goes into deep thought.

Upon seeing her engrossed in deep thought Gary speaks up "Anything wrong Lillie?"

"Oh nothing. I was just thinking about something. But nothing too important. Listen Gary can you escort me back to the Pokemon Health center. I need to be with my brother now." Lillie asks.

"Sure. Let's go." Gary says as he gestures for Lillie to go.

"Hey Gary come here for a sec." Lucy says as Gary and Lillie have gone a little far.

"Wait here will you?" Gary asks to which Lillie nods.

"What's up?" Gary asks after coming towards Lucy.

"Well someone seems to be in quite the friendly mood today." Lucy says with stress on friendly.

"No no you have go it wrong." Gary replies quickly.

"Admit it you have kind of a crush on that girl don't you?" May replies in a teasing tone causing Gary to stiffen up a bit.

"Gary what's up. Are we going or what?" Lillie calls out.

Gary immediately replies "Yes. I am coming. Just a minute."

"You know she isn't staying here for long you know." May replies.

"U mm." Gary says in a panicked confused tone with a flustered face.

"Well she doesn't know the way. Why not take along detour before heading for the Pokemon center." Lucy replies in a mischievous tone with a wink causing Gary to blush slightly.

"Best of luck Gare bear." Brock says as May, Lucy and he turn around and walk away while smothering their laughter at Gary's predicament.

"Gary." Lillie calls out again.

"I am coming. Let's go." Gary says while turning around and walking back towards her. They both start walking together.

Both are waking in silence but Gary's mind is drifting on what Lucy said about taking a detour.

'Can't hurt.' Gary thinks to himself as he is walking.

"Well Lillie listen. I think we should take a different route. It will be better. Do you mind." Gary asks in an slightly panicked tone.

"Sure. Lead the way." Lillie says while smiling. On seeing her smile Gary's face lights up as well.

 **(Back outside the Pokemon Center)**

All the delegates from the Alola region and prof. Samuel Oak are walking back to their place of accommodation after such an eventful day.

"Well not be dramatic or anything this day can't get any more dramatic than it already has become." Hala says to Olivia's agreement.

"It's shocking that those 2 who have never been to Alola before know more about Z Moves which is a part of our culture than we do. Makes me wonder if we are Alolan at all in the first place." Burnet says to Kukui and both the Oaks' agreement.

"Who is that Dragon Emperor that Diantha mentioned?" Lusamine asks Prof. Samuel Oak.

"Well you are still here for 2 days. Why not have this discussion tomorrow. As it is I think you have had more drama in a day than what you can stomach." Oak replies.

"If you say so prof." Kukui replies.

"Well we shall talk tomorrow. Good evening." Oak says as he bows and takes his leave.

Everyone goes to their rooms and calls it a day till they have to meet for the special dinner at the Le Cirque restaurant later. Lusamine suddenly realizes that Lillie has still not returned. She tries Lillie's number only to realize Lillie left her phone in the room only.

"Damn. Where has she disappeared. Can't disturb the others they are already quite stressed after the events of today. No matter I shall go look for her myself." Lusamine says to herself as she bolts out of the apartment.

 **(Meanwhile back at the Pokemon Center)**

"So here we are." Gary says as the pair arrive in the Pokemon center.

"Thanks you Gary." Lillie says before pecking his cheek and then going into the Pokemon center. Gary stands dazed as he touches the spot where Lillie kissed him with his fingers.

Lillie on the other hand realizes what she did involuntarily only after entering the Pokemon center and becomes very awkward.

She shakes her awkwardness of and then asks nurse Joy where her family is. She gets disappointed to find out that they left already.

She runs outside only to see Gary still rooted to the spot in a daze.

"Gary." she says in a nervous manner but Gary doesn't react.

"Gary." she says in a higher volume only for Gary to get jerked back into reality and lose his footing to land on his back with a bang.

"Ouch that didn't feel so good." Gary says in a groaning way.

"I am so sorry." Lillie says while running over to check up on him.

"It's OK. I am alright." Gary says in a reassuring tone while massaging his back with his hands.

"Are you sure?" Lillie asks with a guilty concerned tone.

"I am fine. But more importantly where are your mother and brother?" Gary asks.

"Oh they left already. I will have to go there now." Lillie replies.

 **(Meanwhile a little distance away)**

Lusamine is walking towards the Pokemon center thinking that that is the first place Lillie might come to. She gets happy when she sees Lillie but gets surprised to see him with a boy. She quickly hides herself behind a tree and stares in surprise at her daughter and this mysterious boy.

"Now that's very strange. Lillie has always been very shy around boys. Always avoiding them. She has never been alone with any boy before except this one. What's going on here?" Lusamine says to herself while watching from a distance.

 **(Back outside the Pokemon Center)**

"That's alright. I will take you there." Gary says in a happy tone who is inside ecstatic at the prospect of being alone with her.

"You will. Oh thank you Gary you are the best." Lillie says while throwing herself on Gary in form of a hug.

Both realize the awkward position in which they are and instantly separate.

"Sorry" they both say at the same time.

"Well shall we go?" Gary says while offering his hand to Lillie. Lillie thinks twice before taking his hand.

"Sure. Let's go." Lillie replies with a smile and the both run of with Gary in the lead and Lillie running behind her.

 **(A little distance away)**

Lusamine's hand slips and her jaw drops when she sees Lillie hugging the boy. She quickly recomposes herself then keeps observing them only to laugh a little at their weird separation.

"It seems my little shy girl is finally growing up." Lusamine says to herself while observing Gary and Lillie run away. She decides to follow them.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Here we are." Gary says while coming to a stop.

"Thanks." Lillie says as they both try to catch their breathe.

"Well here is where we part ways. My apartment is in the building next." Gary says while pointing to his building.

"Great. Well when can I see you tomorrow?" Lillie asks.

"Don't worry I 'll come and visit you." Gary replies while smiling.

"Well thanks for all you did for me. It felt nice to be with you." Lillie says to which Gary looks at her with a curious expression.

"I mean to say that it was good to have guidance in such a large unknown place." Lillie says while quickly correcting herself.

"Oh." Gary says in a disappointed tone.

"You were very kind to me and very sweet. Thanks." Lillie says while feeling bad for Gary being disappointed.

Gary bursts into laughter on her falling for his little trick. This dawns on her and she joins in the laughter.

After laughing their hearts out they both say goodnight.

"Well goodnight." Lillie say while going to give Gary a peck on the cheek. However she trips over a rock and end up crashing her lips on his instead. Gary gets the shock of his life and loses his balance causing them both to fall on the ground with a bang.

"Ouch that hurt." They both say at the same time while looking at one another in a sheepish manner. They realize what just happened and start gazing into each others eyes for quite a while only to be brought back to reality by someone clearing their throat.

"Mother!" Lillie says in a shocked tone as she gets of Gary's chest and dusts herself. Gary quickly gets up quickly and does the same. He scratches the back of his head in an embarrassed manner.

"What was going on here?" Lusamine asks in a serious tone hoping to have some fun with them.

"Well that was just an accident. Lillie tripped over and fell on top of me." Gary explains in with each word said in rapid succession.

"I see. Why were you so late Lillie?" Lusamine asks.

"Well I missed you at the VIP Box. So I ran into Gary and we started to walk together back to the Pokemon center." Lillie says.

"And time stopped?" Lusamine asks.

"Yes." Lillie replies only to realize what she says and quickly corrects herself by saying "No. We were just walking together. Stop putting words in my mouth mother."

"You were walking together?" Lusamine asks in a suspicious tone while stressing on the word together.

"We aren't together together just together." Lillie says quickly. Gary looks at her with a flabbergasted expression.

"U mm. I mean." Lillie says trying to correct herself when she gets cut off by Gary.

"I have to go." Gary says in a nervous tone while giving a curt bow to Lusamine, waving Lillie and hightailing it out of there.

"Right. I need a shower." Lillie says while running inside the building to avoiding any more questions from Lusamine.

"See you tomorrow Lillie." Gary shouts before disappearing from sight.

"You too." Lillie shouts from inside the building.

"Good thing Gladion wasn't here otherwise the explosion that would have occurred would have shook Wela volcano." Lusamine says while smiling.

She chuckles to herself on their reaction and simply walks back inside.


	60. An Alolan Night

**(In Ash and Serena's Apartment)**

Both Ash and Serena are sleeping on the couch enjoying a late evening nap while snuggling next to one another. Suddenly there is a knock on the door. Neither of them respond due to being soundly asleep. Pikachu hears the bell. He hops on the table in front of the couch to see Ash and Serena fast asleep. Pikachu thinks about zapping Ash but doesn't because he'll end up zapping Serena too so he hops off the table and head butts a button on the wall to open the door.

"Hey Pikachu where are Ash and Serena?" Delia asks as she enters the apartment followed by Grace.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu says pointing to the couch.

"I see. Fast asleep wrapped around each other no less. Well thank you for letting us in Pikachu." Grace says sweetly.

"Pika." Pikachu says while giving Grace a thumbs up and running off inside the Pokemon bedroom.

"Ash Serena wake up." Grace says.

"Sere 5 more minutes." Ash says in a sleepy tone while keeping his eyes closed.

"Rhyhorn go play with Pikachu. You know the rules. No one disturbs me during my and Ashy's alone time." Serena replies in a groggy tone as she twists and turns now only to be face to face with Ash. Ash subconsciously pulls her into an even more intimate snuggling hug as they both continue to sleep without a care in the world.

Pikachu, Rhyhorn, Grace and Delia sweat drop on hearing them talking in their sleep.

"Ash Serena wake up." Delia says in a very loud volume causing them both to wake up with a start.

"Wait a minute weren't we in Snowpoint city how did we get here?" Serena says while scratching her hair and rubbing her eyes.

"No we are in the hotel room during your Master Class." Ash says in an equally groggy tone.

"You both are back in your apartment. Snap out of your dreams and wear formal clothes." Grace says.

"Oh mom!" Ash and Serena say in a shocked tone as they realize they were both dreaming while being asleep.

"Sorry." they both says in unison.

"You don't need to apologize but you do need to get ready." Delia says.

"Get ready for what?" Serena asks in a confused tone.

"The Alolan welcome dinner hosted by KIP at Le Cirque. How could you forget?" Grace asks.

"Oh yeah right. Sorry. I'll go first." Serena says as she gets up and walks of towards the bathroom.

"Wake me up when she comes out." Ash says before closing his eyes again falling asleep again earning him a second round of sweat dropping from everyone present.

"Well that's our Ash." Grace says while smiling.

"How about I put up some coffee for these 2 while you give the Pokemon their dinner?" Delia says.

"Sure. Good thing we came to see if these 2 were ready. Rhyhorn and Pikachu will you help" Grace asks.

"Pika." Pikachu says while smiling and giving a thumbs up.

"Rhy." Rhyhorn says while agreeing with Pikachu.

"Excellent." Grace says as she starts taking out bowls and the Pokemon food.

 **(Back in the Guest House where the Alolan Delegates Are Staying)**

"I feel so much better and lighter." Lillie says after coming out of her shower.

"Good for you. I couldn't care less." Gladion replies still being bitter at being defeated in such a humiliating manner at his own game.

"Showering was just an excuse. You wanted to feel fresh to get a break from me asking you questions about that boy." Lusamine says while smirking.

"Boy. What boy?" Gladion says while jumping up.

"It's nothing Gladion. Mom is just pulling your leg." Lillie says quickly since the last thing she needs right now is her over protective brother grilling her and Gary about their encounter.

"Normally I would do such a thing but I am serious right now. After all not everyday does my daughter kiss a boy on the lips." Lusamine says causing Lillie to get stiff, awkward and flush red at the thought of her accidental kiss with Gary.

"What?" Gladion says in shock as Lillie starts fidgeting nervously.

"Is this true? You kissed a random boy you just met on your first day here?" Gladion says in shocked tone.

"A a I c-can." Lillie tries to explain before being cutoff by Gladion again.

"Who is he? What does he do? How did you meet?" Gladion asks in rapid succession with an aggressive tone.

"U mm." Lillie looks at her mother desperately with a 'I need an urgent rescue.' look.

"Gladion why don't you go get ready for the dinner. You can always question Lillie later." Lusamine says.

"Fine. But till I don't have my doubts laid to rest I want you staying away from this boy whoever he is." Gladion says while grabbing a towel and storming into the washroom.

"Mom why did you have to tell him about me and Gary?" Lillie asks in a rather cross tone.

"So his name is Gary then." Lusamine says in a playful smirking tone. Lillie gets shocked on realizing what she just said.

"That's it. No more discussion." Lillie says while trying to walk out.

"Fine. I suppose you don't need my help to handle your brother?" Lusamine says while smirking. Lillie stops in her tracks as she realizes her mom does have a point.

"Fine you win. To be honest I don't know what situation I am in." Lillie says while sitting down in a defeated state.

"I see go on." Lusamine says while smirking.

"I thought you were going to help me. You are enjoying this aren't you?" Lillie says as she sees Lusamine smirking.

"I can multitask. So forgive me if I entertain myself in the process of helping you as well." Lusamine replies to Lillie's annoyance.

"Fine then. But Gladion will be out any minute so we will have this discussion later." Lillie says while walking out of the room to get a glass of water for herself.

"Fine. But it's good to see this side of you as well." Lusamine says while smiling.

"Right." Lillie says from the other room.

 **(1 Hour Later)**

"Wow I don't recall seeing such an extravagant restaurant back on Melemele island." Lillie says as she walks into the restaurant with her mother and brother in her cocktail dress.

"Indeed." Gladion replies in an irritated and partial tone since he can't help but agree that the opulence of luxury is much more profound in Kalos than Alola.

"Welcome madam. Do you have a reservation?" A waiter comes and asks when he sees the three looking confused.

"Yes. We were supposed to be here for the Alolan Kalos dinner hosted by Champion Diantha but we can't see them anywhere do you know where they are?" Lusamine replies in a confused tone.

"Oh you are on the wrong floor ma'am. The dinner for the Alolan graduates is being hosted on the private floor upstairs. Take the stair down the hallway." Waiter says while pointing to the hallway.

"OK thank you." Lillie replies as the waiter bows at them while they leave.

After walking upstairs they are greeted by the 2 Prof. Oaks who lead them to the table.

"Lusamine, Gladion and Lillie glad you could join us." Diantha says while waving at her.

"Glad to be here." Lusamine replies.

"Well have a seat." Diantha says while gesturing to the 3 empty seats between Ash and Palermo.

"Thank you." Lusamine says as she sits next to Ash hoping to avoid any outburst from her son who is glaring at Ash who does nothing but smirk at Gladion's response. Gladion sits next to Lillie and who sits next to Palermo.

"Well you already know most of the people here. Let me introduce you to Palermo the head of the Pokemon Performer Association. She is the mentor of the Kalos Queen Serena and also the owner of this restaurant." Diantha says as Palermo and Lusamine get up and shake hands.

"You bought this restaurant? When?" Seibold asks.

"Very recently in fact. I bought the entire chain in fact which consists of 2 restaurants including this one" Palermo replies.

"Must have been quite expensive." Seibold remarks.

"It was but Diantha you made a small mistake in your introduction. I am afraid." Palermo says to Diantha's confusion.

"I did?" Diantha replies in a surprised tone.

"I am not the sole owner of this restaurant. Serena and I are partners in this venture." Palermo says beaming as Serena's face lights up.

"Oh well congratulations Serena. Next time I want a reservation I shall directly come to you." Sycamore says while winking.

"Of course you can Prof. You are all welcome to come to me anytime." Serena replies in a sweet tone while giving a curt bow.

"Well now you know all the adults. At Prof. Oak's suggestion since your students are also present here we also had a few more students of ours come along. They are Dawn, May and Drew who are our top Pokemon Coordinators, Shauna who is a Pokemon Performer, Brock who is our top Pokemon Breeder, Clemont and Korrina who are our the best Gym Leaders around with Bonnie who is Clemont's sister and Paul who is the 3rd strongest trainer. Of course you know Ash who is the KIP Champion and Serena who is the Kalos Queen. They are the best battlers in KIP at the moment." Diantha says while introducing everyone.

"Well you forgot Queen Lucy. She is working with the Kalos Govt. to set up the new Kalos Battle Frontier. I believe a lot of work has already come underway." Sycamore says while introducing Lucy.

"Of course. How clumsy of me. Sorry Lucy." Diantha says in an apologetic tone.

"No need to apologize Diantha it's all right." Lucy says.

"How is the work of the Battle Factory going on?" Wikstrom asks.

"Oh right on schedule. We should be ready to open in under 3 months." Lucy says.

"Well my grandson is also here. But he has gone to the washroom at the moment." Oak replies.

"Since this is a formal occasion I would like to propose a toast to the delegates from Alola to a fruitful association together for the future." Diantha says while raising her glasses.

"Cheers." Everyone says as they drink to the health of the delegates of Alola.

"Well Diantha this won't be much of a party without a dance will it?" Palermo says.

"Of course. Pick your partners and lets dance." Diantha says as everyone gets up. Ash leaves with Serena, Brock with Lucy, Clemont with Korrina, Dawn with Paul, May with Drew, Diantha with Seibold, Wikstrom with Lusamine, Rowan with Palermo, Kukui with Burnet, Grace with Sycamore, Delia with Prof. Oak etc.

Everyone is dancing except Gladion, Lillie and Shauna. Gladion isn't dancing because he isn't interested, Shauna because she doesn't have a partner and Lillie because she is to scared.

"I am going to the washroom." Lillie says as Gladion nods. As Lillie leaves Shauna approaches Gladion to ask him to dance. Meanwhile Lillie bumps into Gary again while walking to the washroom.

"Lillie what are you doing here?" Gary asks as he runs into Lillie outside the washroom.

"Gary I am one of the Alolan delegates remember." Lillie says causing Gary to sweat drop at his own question.

"Sorry. It just slipped my mind. But why aren't you dancing?" Gary asks.

"First I don't have a partner, Second I have never danced before and am quite nervous and third my brother will roast the boy who dances with me alive. So let me go to the washroom now." Lillie says in rather embarrassed tone.

Gary think for a minute while Lillie goes inside. When she comes out he takes her hand and drags her to the dance floor.

"Gary what are you doing?" Lillie asks as she starts to dance with Gary nervously.

"Don't worry. It will be alright. Beside I enjoy your company a lot." Gary says as Lillie blushes to Gary's delight. Lusamine sees Gary dance with Lillie and gives Lillie an encouraging nod causing her to be more relaxed.

"I don't know Gary. If my brother finds out." Lillie says only to be cut off by Gary.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him." Gary says while the 2 try to avoid all the questioning looks and smirking looks they are getting from their friends.

"If you say so." Lillie says in a more happier tone. They both start falling into tune with the music and dance in a very calm and relaxed manner while smiling at each other.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

Everyone except a few people have returned.

"Where is Lillie?" Gladion asks as he looks around to see her not being anywhere.

"She just stepped out for a bit. Don't worry she told me and went." Lusamine says as she lies knowing that Gladion will not be pleased to learn that Lillie slipped out with Gary during the middle of the dance while both were giggling uncontrollably.

"Oh OK." Gladion says.

"Why don't we start with the food?" Diantha says as she signals the waiter who snaps his finger and soon the table is covered in every Kalosian delicacy possible.

"Tuck in." Diantha says as everyone starts eating the food. Everyone is having a good time while eating, chatting, laughing and drinking.

 **(Half an Hour Later)**

Half an hour passes. Gladion suddenly notices that Lillie has not yet returned. he then realizes that several students are missing. He starts to wonder where has Lillie gone when he sees Brock re enter the party with Lucy in his arms while giggling uncontrollably.

"Excuse me. May I ask you a question?" Gladion asks.

"Yes. What is it?" Brock asks after he stops giggling.

"Where were you?" Gladion asks.

"Oh we were in the couples park making out." Lucy answers quietly while giggling.

"I see. Where is this park?" Gladion asks while being internally disgusted.

"Outside the restaurant cross the street go left walk for about a minute." Brock says while helping himself to a glass of water.

"Thank you." Gladion says quietly. He gets up and walks up to Lusamine.

"Mom I am going out to get some fresh air." He says to which Lusamine nods.

Gladion walks out of the room calmly. As soon as he is out of sight he runs of at break neck speed.

He reaches the park and starts to comb the place. He finds one couple after another making out. He even runs into Ash Serena, May Drew and Clemont and Korrina who are too busy making out to even notice his presence. But he doesn't see his sister anywhere.

He breathes a sigh of relief and starts walking out. He is about to walk out of the exit and call her when he suddenly hears Lillie giggle while saying "Gary you pervert."

He gets shocked and starts following the trail of the voices. He gets shocked when he sees Gary and Lillie together.

Gary is eating a chocolate waffle stick from one end and Lillie eats from the other. When both finish eating they start making out intensely to the point where their tongues are wrestling for dominance. They break apart to catch their breath. They both take a swig from their beer cans and then re continue with their session. This time Gary puts his hand inside Lillie's dress causing her to giggle in delight as she kisses Gary passionately while grabbing the back of his head to pull him even closer.

"What's going on here?" Gladion says in a loud voice causing Lillie and Gary to break apart with an annoyed expression on their faces.

"Hey buddy can't you see this is a private spot. Go find your own." Gary says in an annoyed tone to Gladion's face whose expression is livid with anger.

"Lillie we are going this instant. Get away from that boy now." Gladion says in a firm tone.

"U mm. Brother what are you doing here?" Lillie says in an annoyed tone and frightened panicked state.

"I came here to get you. What are you doing here? Do you not remember what I told you in the apartment." Gladion says in a controlled yet angry tone.

Gary is about to protest but Lillie puts her hand on his mouth to keep him quiet.

"It's OK. We'll talk later. Bye for now." Lillie says as she gets up and walks past her brother.

"You stay away from my sister. You got it?" Gladion says in a threatening tone.

Gary decides against protesting back. He gets up as well and walks back to the party as well since he has nothing to do.

Lillie and Gladion re enter the party. Lusamine notices them both being annoyed at one another. Seconds later she sees Gary enter and sit down in an annoyed state as well. Throughout the course of the next 10 minutes he sees Gary and Gladion exchange death stares at one another and Lillie look like she wouldn't like anything better than to sit as far away from Gladion as possible.

She sees Gary wink at Lillie causing her to giggle in delight while earning him an annoyed look from Gladion to Gary's pleasure. Lusamine meanwhile looks at Lillie and Gary's hair and clothes. She puts two and two together and realizes what must have happened with the 3.

Soon the party ends and everyone decides to call it a night. Lusamine sits quietly in the car with Lillie and Gladion sitting in fuming silence. She knows that there is going to be an explosion when they reach the apartment.


	61. Tri-School Tournament Begins

**(Later in the Apartment)**

"I told you to stay away from that boy. You didn't listen." Gladion shouts while Lusamine flinches at the volume.

"And like I told you a minute back it's none of your business." Lillie shouts back in an equally annoyed tone.

"Now now. Calm down both of you." Lusamine says trying to defuse the situation.

"You stay out of this mother. You lied to me when you told me Lillie had told you and went. You were just covering for her weren't you?" Gladion snaps back.

"Gladion that is no way to talk to your mother. Besides the reason I lied was to ensure that you won't react like this in front of everyone." Lusamine says in a firm tone.

"Well congratulation mom. Lillie was hooking up with a boy who had gotten her drunk by having her drink beer for your kind information. She has never had alcohol before. He was taking advantage of her and you covered up for it." Gladion says in a more calmer tone.

"For your information I was the one who insisted that Gary buy beer in the first place. He didn't force me or anything." Lillie says while defending her boyfriend to Lusamine's surprise at the fact that she took the decision to have alcohol on her own.

"Oh forget it mom it's hopeless. Just because he has become incapable of having a lasting relationship since his last girlfriend dumped him he has developed an allergy to the word relationship." Lillie says to her mother. Gladion is rendered speechless at what Lillie just said.

"How did you know about that?" Gladion says in a cross tone.

"Everyone knows it genius. After all it is the most public well kept secret on Melemele Island." Lillie replies.

"What's up with the shouting?" Burnet says as she and Kukui come out of their room in night clothes while yawning and rubbing their eyes.

"Sorry to disturb you. Family drama is all. You'll have it when you both have kids. I assure you. " Lusamine says to Burnet before turning to Gladion and saying "Bottom line is this that Lillie does have a point when she says who she goes out with is her business. Now both of you shower, change and go back to bed. We will talk about this tomorrow in a more civilized manner." Lusamine says in a final way. Gladion walks out of the room in a pissed of attire. Burnet and Kukui retire to their room as well.

"Mom." Lillie says as she approaches Lusamine.

"Lillie it's late. I thought I just told you that we will talk about this tomorrow." Lusamine says.

"I didn't want to talk about what just happened. I think I may have found a solution to the Ultra Beast problem we have been having in Alola." Lillie says which instantly catches Lusamine's attention.

"What solution have you found?" Lusamine enquirers in a curious tone.

"Well mom you saw how powerful Ash was didn't you?" Lillie asks.

"Yes I was actually shocked when I saw his Z move. What about it?" Lusamine asks.

"Well. While the match was going on I was sitting in the stands with Gary and his friends." Lillie says before pausing to take a sip of water.

"Go on." Lusamine says in an interested tone.

"Before the match started they told me that Gladion's defeat was certain." Lillie says.

"Why did they say that? I mean Ash told us later that this was the first time he was using a Z move. If that was the first time then there was no guarantee that he would have been able to beat your brother the way he did. Then how could they say that?" Lusamine asks in a confused tone.

"Apparently it's because of their teacher." Lillie says.

"They as in Ash and Serena?" Lusamine asks for confirmation to which Lillie nods.

"I don't see how 1 trainer can help us in solving the Ultra Beast problem which has been plaguing the entire Alola region." Lusamine says.

"I thought so too at first but this trainer whoever he is. He is no ordinary trainer mind you." Lillie says.

"Why do you say that?" Lusamine asks before drinking water from a glass.

"It's because he beat all the champions in a 1 on 6 match." Lillie says causing Lusamine to spit out the water in her mouth before coughing.

"He did what?" Lusamine asks in a shocked tone.

"Here take a look." Lillie says as she presses the play button on her Poke-pad.

Lusamine watches the video is pin drop silence as she see the champions being demolished by a trainer.

"Unbelievable." She says as Lillie takes the Poke-pad from her hand.

"And here is the video of the battle which followed this one. The one between him and Ash and Serena." Lillie says says as she changes the video and presses the play button.

"What sheer power!" Lusamine says as she sees the effect of the Screech attack on the stadium as the bulletproof glass casing of the VIP Box shatters into thousands of pieces in the video.

"If his normal Pokemon moves are this powerful then just imagine the power that his Z move will have." Lusamine says in a somewhat terrified tone as she get up from the couch.

"That's exactly what I thought. It might be even more powerful than the Z move that Ash used against Gladion. And do remember that move which Ash used completely wrecked the KIP Stadium floor. Imagine if we can get this trainer to help us in dealing with the Ultra Beasts then we can actually accomplish our goal to keep Alola secure from the Ultra Beasts." Lillie says.

Upon hearing all this Lusamine appears to be deep in thought pacing the room from one end to another as if she were weighing her options.

"What was the name of this trainer?" Lusamine asks in order to confirm her suspicions.

"A Pokemon Master by the name of Dragon." Lillie says before being cut off by Lusamine.

"Emperor. I know. Oak spoke about him as did Diantha. I could sense an uneasiness in their tone. No wonder they were uncomfortable. After all the prospect of a trainer having this kind of power is overwhelming in the least if not intimidating." Lusamine says.

"Well mother? What do you think? Can this Dragon Emperor help us?" Lillie asks.

"Maybe. The problem is we know nothing about this Dragon Emperor whoever he is. We can't just approach him for help without knowing anything about him first." Lusamine says.

"Well it's getting very late. I am calling it a day. But mom do consider it. The people of Alola are counting on the Aether Organization to keep them safe you know." Lillie says while going to the door to go to her room.

"Lillie." Lusamine says.

"Yes mom?" Lillie says while turning around on the spot.

"The idea to drink beer was Gary's wasn't it?" Lusamine asks while turning to face Lillie.

"How did you" Lillie starts only to be cutoff by Lusamine.

"I know? Because when I met your father I also used to lie to cover up for him and me." Lusamine says while smiling.

Lillie's face also light up with a beaming smile on hearing that. Then she says "Goodnight mom." before leaving.

 **(Next Morning in KIP Stadium)**

"Good morning. This is your champion Diantha speaking. Now before you all head for your classes I have an announcement to make." Diantha says before pausing for a moment.

"As some of you might be aware that the participants from the other schools for the Tri-School tournament had already started arriving last night. They will be staying as our honored guests till the time the tournament is active. Now please join me in welcoming the heads of the other 2 schools and their students." Diantha says as fireworks explode.

"First we have the students from the Opelucid Unova Pokemon Academy and their president the Opelucid city gym leader Dragon Master Drayden." Diantha says as Drayden and his students come into view.

"Next we have the student from the Kanto School of Pokemon and their headmistress Kanto Elite Four Member Ice type Specialist Lorelei." Diantha says as the Lorelei and her students come into view. Both sets of students are met with thunderous applause.

"Now that we have all gathered here. It's time to explain the rules. The rules are simple yet complex. Only Mega Evolution is permitted. No Z moves and no substitutions allowed either. Remaining rules are standard League Rules with the exception of the rules of the number of the Pokemon which I shall explain to you now." Diantha says before opening a folded piece of paper.

"Each trainer will be allowed a team consisting of at most 15 Pokemon and at least 6 Pokemon. Once the list of Pokemon is submitted it will not be changed. Here is the interesting part. To make the whole competition more enticing we have imposed a new rule. Initially out of the 15 there will 6 Pokemon whose identities will be known to your opponent. The remaining Pokemon's identity will be kept a secret. This will test the trainers ability to adapt to surprises and his ability to think on his feet. Whenever a new Pokemon is revealed out of the set of unknown Pokemon it will be moved from the set of unknown Pokemon to the set of known Pokemon." Diantha says before pausing.

"Now you may be wondering that keeping the identity of the Pokemon secret discourages the trainers from researching their opponent's Pokemon in advance am I right?" Diantha says to several nods in the crowd.

"That is why there is another rule. The number of unknown Pokemon a trainer can use will depend on the total number of Pokemon allowed for the battle of that round. But before that the competition will be divided into 2 parts. The first part consists of simple elimination competition where the aim is to select a number of students from all the aspiring candidates for the second part of the tournament. All the battles will be 3 on 3 battles where you can use at most 1 Unknown Pokemon." Diantha says before pausing.

"The second part of the competition will be the Shuffle Elimination Competition where after each stage is completed the participants and their opponents will be randomly shuffled. All the battles till the top 128 will be 4 on 4 battles with the trainer allowed to use at most 2 of the unknown Pokemon. The top 64, top 32, top 16 and top 8 rounds will be 5 on 5 battles with trainer again allowed to use at most 2 unknown Pokemon. The semifinals will be exempted from the shuffle rule. These last 3 matches will be full 6 on 6 matches with a trainer allowed to use at most 3 unknown Pokemon." Diantha says.

"So now if there are any confusions regarding the complex nature of the rules please approach your Prof. without hesitation. And now it's time for the opening ceremony. For all those who don't know similar to the conferences we will light a beacon with the flames of a legendary Pokemon but the only difference is that here the beacon that we light shall consist of not 1 but the flames of 3 legendary Pokemon." Diantha says as many Oohs and Aahs can be hears in the crowd.

"So now without further ado I invite the Drayden and Lorelei to light the beacon with me. Drayden shall be lighting the beacon with the flames of Reshiram the Legendary Dragon of Unova, Lorelei will be lighting the beacon with the flames of Ho Ho the Legendary Pokemon and I shall be lighting it with the flames of Legendary Pokemon Moltres." Diantha says as the 3 heads raise a torch each having its own flame and ignite the beacon to a deafening cheer from the students of all the 3 schools.

"And now the Tri-School Tournament has begun. The matches will begin from tomorrow. May the best trainer win." Diantha says as the entire stadium resonated with cheer and standing ovation.

 **(In the VIP Box)**

"I am most impressed by the rules. The more unknown Pokemon you use in the beginning the less element of surprise you have for the later more intense round where the stronger trainers fight since whenever an unknown Pokemon is revealed it gets added to set of known Pokemon. On the other hand if you don't use unknown Pokemon at the beginning then it may become tough to battle with your opponent having your known Pokemon studied and your possible strategy analyzed in advance." Serena says in an impressed tone.

"Indeed most impressive. Since no substitutions are allowed hence the mettle of the trainer and his Pokemon will be tested to the core." Ash says while agreeing.

"I see that you have already efficiently analyzed the ins and outs of the rules of the tournament. Well done. I am most impressed with your analysis." Oak says while complimenting Ash and Serena on their analysis.

"Of course. Reading your opponent and beating your opponent's move before it's even made is the key to victory. These are just rules which are static in nature at the end of the day so analyzing them is a walk in the park compared to figuring out your opponent's choice, his move set, strategies etc. which are dynamic in nature constantly in a mode of change due to the circumstances." Serena says which deeply impresses Lusamine.

'These 2 are nothing short of remarkable. Of course a student is only as good as the teacher. Need to make enquiries about this Dragon Emperor. Who he is, how he is, can he help us and how to contact him ' Lusamine thinks to herself.

"Prof. do you know when Diantha and you will be free? I need to speak with her and you regarding something urgent." Lusamine asks.

"Well we do have a meeting in half an hour where all the Prof. will be present along with Diantha to discuss certain matters. I am sure that we can find time to accommodate whatever you wish to discuss. But regarding what do you wish to speak with Diantha may I ask?" Oak asks.

"Regarding that Pokemon Master named Dragon Emperor. I have a request to make of him." Lusamine replies which causes Oak to get surprised.

"A request? Of Dragon Emperor. Now this is getting interesting. But this is not the right place to have this discussion. Come with me. We'll start the meeting a little early." Oak says while getting up and typing a message on his pager. Soon the pager of all Prof. and the elite four ring causing them all to stand up and leave the room.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"I see. You are in quite the pickle with these Ultra Beasts aren't you." Diantha says as she, Cynthia, Alder and Lance and the other Prof. sit in silence after Lusamine has finished talking.

"You see because of the origin of the Ultra Beast from a different dimension much of their biology is unknown. This makes them an even deadlier threat coupled with the fact that hey are very strong. Earlier it used to be once or twice a month. But now they appear at least twice in a week. There have been instances where people, property and Pokemon have been critically damaged or hurt." Burnet says in a regretful tone.

"That's why we thought if we could get this Dragon Emperor person to help then we could keep the peace in Alola." Lusamine replies.

"Well I am not sure about that. You may not know this but that man is a complete mystery. Who he is or what he does everything is shrouded in mystery. He is strong and more knowledgeable about Pokemon than all the Prof. here combined granted. But someone who we don't know about we can't trust." Lance says.

"Exactly." Cynthia says while seconding Lance's opinion.

"Yes but this is a quite a desperate time for the Alolan people and the Aether Foundation. We can't turn a blind eye to their troubles. Desperate times do call for desperate measures." Oak says.

"I agree." Samson Oak replies while seconding his Kanto cousin.

"Still. It's risky. We are not saying that he is a bad person or anything. But still I don't like it." Alder says.

"Still we believe it's a risk worth taking. Please we wouldn't be asking you if we weren't desperate for help." Lusamine replies.

"Well actually even if we wanted to help you we can't. We don't have the means to contact the Dragon Emperor." Rowan replies.

"That's right. Only Ash and Serena can do that. But I guess here the final decision falls on Diantha as the head of KIP." Sycamore says as everyone's eyes fall on Diantha who is engrossed in deep thought.

After a while she looks up and says "Very well. Bring Ash and Serena here." Diantha says to her assistant who nods and leaves the room.

"Thank you." Gladion says.

"Don't thank me yet. Now it's all up to the Dragon Emperor. He may or may not agree to meet let alone help you out with your problem." Diantha replies.

 **(15 Minutes Later)**

"I see. This is a most desperate situation indeed." Serena says as she and Ash finish listening to Lusamine's words.

"Will you help us?" Hala asks.

"We'll summon him and try to convince him to the best of our abilities should he refuse. But no promises." Serena says.

"Thank you that's all we ask." Olivia says.

"Very well then we shall try to contact him. We'll come see you as soon as we get word on when he is coming." Ash says as he and Serena walk out.


	62. Confront Past, Redeem Future

**(Next Day)**

Ash and Serena are walking back to take their place in the VIP Box when suddenly Ash spots a girl with a tomboyish attire and ginger orange hair.

"Wait a minute. That couldn't be could it?" Ash says to himself as he tries to get a closer look at the girl.

"Could be who Ash?" Serena asks.

"Yes. It's her. Misty!" Ash yells as he runs of while dragging Serena along as well.

"Ash !" Misty exclaims on hearing the voice, turning around and smiling.

"Misty I missed you so much. How are you ?" Ash says before giving her a quick hug.

"I missed you too Ash. Brock told me that you had become the KIP Champion but he refused to give anymore details. He said he wanted it to be a surprise." Misty says.

"Oh speaking of surprises. Misty meet Serena my girlfriend. Serena this is Misty she is the current Cerulean City Gym leader and a student at the Kanto School of Pokemon. She traveled with me " Ash says before getting cutoff by Serena.

"Through Kanto, Orange islands and Johto. I remember you telling me. Hi I am Serena, the Kalos Queen and Ash's girlfriend." Serena says while shaking Misty's hand.

"You are very pretty. Congrats Ash on finding yourself a keeper. I for one didn't think you had it in you." Misty says causing Ash to turn red in embarrassment and Serena to giggle.

"Well I would love to talk but I need to get to the stadium for my match up." Misty says.

"Don't worry. We are going there as well. See you later Misty." Serena says as the 2 wave Misty goodbye as she runs off.

"Well let's get as well. Shall we?" Serena says.

"Yup let's go. But tell me regarding Mrs. Lusamine's request do you think Dragon Emperor will agree?" Ash asks as the two resume walking.

"Don't know but I am inclined to think he might if we persuade him. But for now let's focus on getting to the finals shall we." Serena says.

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

"Best of luck trainers. Your match ups will be displayed on the screens in 30 seconds. All battles will be 3 on 3 with no substitution and only 1 unknown Pokemon allowed. Best of luck." Diantha says as the competitors see their faces being shuffled continuously only to come to a sudden stop. Every one looks at their pairings. Ash is paired with some random student from Opelucid Unova Academy while Serena has been paired with Misty.

"Best of luck Ash." Serena says as she leaves for her battle with Misty.

 **(10 Minutes Later)**

"Best of luck Serena. May the best trainer win. I warn you though that I am one of the toughest gym leaders in the Kanto region. Don't underestimate me." Misty remarks.

"Only time will tell how tough you really are Misty." Serena replies back in a cool voice.

"Are the challengers ready?" Referee asks to which both nod.

"I will choose first. Go Starmie." Misty says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"In that case I shall go with Rhyhorn." Serena says while tossing her Poke-ball.

"A Rock and Ground type against my water type Starmie? You don't know much about the importance of type match up do you?" Misty says.

Serena internally smirks for she knows Misty has taken the bait.

"Battle Begin." Referee says.

"You may have the first move Misty." Serena says.

"Thank you Serena. Starmie use." Misty says when suddenly she hears shouting behind her. She turns around to see Brock shouting "Misty be careful. She is very strong. Type advantage means nothing for her." Serena clenches her fist on hearing it but decides to play cool anyway.

"Thanks but I don't need your advice on how to fight my battles. Starmie use Water Gun." Misty says while turning around. The Water Gun hits its mark and causes a little explosion. Misty smirks but Serena doesn't react at all. Misty's smirk turns to a shocked reaction when she sees Rhyhorn violently shaking it's head to get rid on the water and standing there as if nothing happened at all. Seeing Misty's confounded expression Serena smirks.

"Ash told me you were a water type trainer. Is that it? Such a puny water gun won't even tickle my Rhyhorn. I seem to recall asking for a Pokemon battle and not a bath for my Rhyhorn." Serena says to Misty's annoyance.

"What was that?" Misty says in a rather aggressive tone.

"You heard me. If that's the best you got then this match won't last long." Serena says while sighing.

"We'll see about that. Starmie use Swift." Misty says in an angry tone.

"Horn Attack." Serena says in a smooth voice. Rhyhorn dodges the Swift attack and smashes into Starmie sending it flying right into the stadium wall. Misty just stands there with a dazed 'WTF happened' expression as she slowly turns around to see Starmie fainted in the center of a crater in the stadium wall.

"Starmie is unable to battle. Please send out your next Pokemon." Referee says.

 **(In the Stands)**

"Misty assumed that having a type advantage over Serena's Rhyhorn would give her a quick win. But in the face of Serena's Rhyhorn's level Starmie's no mach at all. I was afraid this was going to happen." Brock says.

"You are right. I just hope you don't get paired up with her or Ash before at least the First Phase of the tournament is over." Lucy replies.

Paul on the other hand is observing the battle in silence as he see Serena stronger than ever before to be able to knock out her opponent in just one move.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"I see what Brock meant. Go Golduck." Misty says while tossing her second Pokemon.

"Use Slash." Misty commands.

"Take Down." Serena counters.

Rhyhorn wins the clash and Golduck is sent flying only to land in front of Misty.

"Get up Golduck. I know you can. It's not like you to give up like this." Misty says hearing which Golduck struggles to it's feet.

"Finish with Horn Attack." Serena says in the same tone.

"Confusion." Misty says as Rhyhorn gets close to Golduck.

"Lift it up and then slam it on the ground." Misty commands.

"Break through that Confusion with sheer force." Serena says as Rhyhorn gives a huge cry at violently twists its body and breaks the Confusion Attack restrain on it's body.

"Water Pulse." Misty says.

"Flash Cannon." Serena counters. Flash Cannon overpowers Water Pulse and sends Golduck sliding back.

"Finish with Horn Attack." Serena says as Rhyhorn charges at Golduck.

"Quick use Confusion again." Misty says.

"Double Team." Serena says as duplicate Rhyhorn appear before Golduck who can't figure out which Rhyhorn is the real one. The attack meets its mark and knocks out Golduck.

"Golduck is unable to battle. Please send out your last Pokemon." Referee says as Misty returns Golduck with an expression of disbelief on her face.

"Rhyhorn return. You battled very well." Serena says while returning her Pokemon.

"Go Ninetales." Serena says while tossing her second Pokemon.

"No more fooling around time to meet my strongest Pokemon. Go Gyarados." Misty says while tossing her last Poke-ball.

"Gyarados Mega Evolve." misty says without wasting a moment.

"I see. So that is why the Cerulean Gym is one of the best in the Kanto. It's one of the few gyms with Mega Evolution in it which is rare for a gym leader especially one not in Kalos. But I can't help but laugh at your stupid decision to Mega Evolve your Gyarados." Serena says.

"Perhaps you are only saying that because that Ice type of yours can't Mega Evolve." Misty snaps back.

"In that case let's battle. Since you have been going first do you mind if I go first?" Serena asks.

"No problem." Misty says.

"Ninetales use Blizzard." Serena commands.

"Block it with Twister. Then use Rain Dance." Misty commands.

Once the Rain Dance is in effect Misty says "Alright now use Hydro Pump."

"Dodge with Quick Attack then use Iron Tail." Serena counters as Ninetales dodges.

"Counter with Dragon Tail then Dragon Breath to paralyze it." Misty Commands.

"Go through the Dragon breath then use Moon Blast from point blank range." Serena says.

"What?" Misty exclaims as she sees Dragon Breath not doing anything to Ninetales. After her Gyarados has been sent flying she looks at Serena with a confused expression.

"You see my Alolan Ninetales is not just an Ice type but a Fairy type as well." Serena explains.

"So that's what you meant when you said that I had done a mistake by Mega Evolving Gyarados. When Gyarados Mega Evolves it loses its Flying type and gains Dark type. Since your Pokemon is a fairy type so it's quite powerful against dark types not to mention my Gyarados' Dragon type moves won't put a dent on it either." Misty says to which Serena smirks.

"I don't wish to hurt your Gyarados you know. I still have all 3 of my Pokemon left while you are down to your last one which is already struggling. Nothing wrong in an honorable surrender." Serena says.

"We won't quit. If I have learned anything from my time travelling with Ash it's this. Not to quit. But I still have a move or 2 which are quite powerful against your Ice type. Gyrados use Flamethrower." Misty says as she sees the Rain Dance lose effect.

"I see Ninetales use Water Pulse into Hypnosis." Serena says.

"Oh no." Misty shouts as Gyarados gets hypnotized.

"Dream Eater." Serena says in a smooth voice as Ninetales drains all of Gyarados' energy.

"Time for the big finish. Use Dazzling Gleam." Serena says.

Gyarados shrieks in pain as it falls to the ground, reverts back to its original form and lies on the battlefield with swirly eyes.

"Gyarados is unable to battle. Serena wins to proceed to the next round." Referee says as Misty returns her Pokemon in a defeated state.

Serena walks up to Misty who is sitting on her knees and looking at the ground with a defeated look. Misty looks up to see Serena offering her hand.

"It's OK. Someone has to win and someone has to lose. What matters is the effort." Serena says as Misty takes her reluctantly hand and gets up.

"I was quite impressed with your Gyarados. It's quite strong, the bond you 2 share. Work hard and you will go far." Serena says before turning around and walking away.

 **(In the Evening)**

"Where is he? Will he even come?" Lusamine asks.

"He said he will come then he will come." Ash replies as everyone from yesterday's meeting is awaiting the Dragon Emperor's arrival.

"He was to supposed to arrive 10 minutes earlier. He didn't." Lance says in an annoyed tone.

Serena is about to say something when suddenly a sizzling noise starts coming.

"What is that sizzling noise?" Diantha asks as everyone looks around for the source of the noise.

"There." Cynthia says while pointing to the floor. Everyone gets shocked to see that a black line which is smouldering is being engraved on the floor in form of a circle.

"What the hell is that" Lance says as the smouldering back line completes a complete circle. Suddenly bluish green flames rise up from within the circle causing everyone in the room to jump and cover their eyes. The flames subside almost instantly. When everyone opens their eyes they see the Dragon Emperor standing where the circle was with his usual facial expression and his eyes closed. He suddenly opens his eyes which causes all the champions and the professors present to flinch slightly.

On seeing them all again he smiles and says "Champion Diantha, Prof. Oak at last we meet again on this rather dull evening. I was surprised to get a call of summons from my apprentices regarding a certain endeavor in which you want my help." Dragon Emperor says in his cool calculating voice sending a senseless sensation down the spines of everyone present except Ash and Serena.

"You are late Dragon Emperor." Serena says.

"An Emperor is never late Serena, everyone else is simply early just like servants of the master waiting for the master to arrive." Dragon Emperor replies causing Ash and Serena to chuckle at the Dragon Emperor's wit.

"What are you trying to imply? We are not your servants." Lance retorts.

"Oh don't be ridiculous. The amount of interest and resources you invest in trying to find information about me and tracking me, such devotion surpasses the devotion an obedient servant has for his master." Dragon Emperor says causing Ash and Serena to chuckle once more and Lance to shut up.

"But enough about Lance's devotion. I was told by apprentices that there was a matter regarding which you required my help." Dragon Emperor says while sitting down once Lance's chair much to Lance's annoyance.

"Well." Lusamine begin to say only to be cutoff by the Dragon Emperor.

"First please start by introducing yourself and your son and daughter." Dragon Emperor says while pointing to Lillie and Gladion.

"I don't think we have ever met before. How do you know they are my son and daughter?" Lusamine says in a rather shocked expression.

"The morphological traits are a dead giveaway. Now start off the introduction, I don't have a lot of time. I have left an important errand halfway." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Oh U mm well. My name is Lusamine Kahele. I am the president of the Aether Foundation in the Alola region. This is my son Gladion and my daughter Lillie." Lusamine says.

"Go on." Dragon Emperor says in a tone which causes all 3 to gulp.

"The Aether Foundation is a foundation committed to the noble cause of protecting and nursing sick Pokemon back to their health. But of late our organization has shifted it's focus to the ultra beasts. We have been failing on our promise to the people of the Alola region to keep them safe. The ever growing number of incidents with the Ultra Beasts have become so frequent that we are in quite a dire condition." Lusamine says quickly.

"So you decided to seek my help in dealing with the Ultra Beasts. Most impressive." Dragon Emperor says before getting up.

"Alright now Lusamine and Gladion please go and sit on your seats. I wish to talk with Mrs. Lillie alone." Dragon Emperor says causing all 3 of them to look at each other in a confused way.

"U mm. May I ask why do you wish to talk to my daughter?" Lusamine asks.

"You may not." Dragon Emperor replies causing Lusamine to get taken aback at his response.

Dragon Emperor chuckles at her response then says "Relax. I am just messing with you." causing everyone to breath a sigh of relief.

"The reason why I wish to talk to Lillie is because she is the one who originally proposed that you seek my support in the matter regarding the Ultra Beasts." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Wait a minute. How do you know that she is the one who told me to seek your help in the first place." Lusamine asks in a shocked tone.

"Simple. The solution to come to me for help requires a brilliant mind as well as an open attitude and the ability to think on your feet. That eliminates you out of the possibilities. Furthermore the fact that the request for help is going to a trainer who you have no clue about, one who is a complete stranger, implies being naive and innocent in the way the world works. This rules your son out leaving the conclusion that the idea for the request came from your daughter. Am I right?" Dragon Emperor asks shocking everyone including Lillie.

"U Uh." are all that come out of Lusamine's mouth.

"I'll take as a yes. Now Mrs. Lillie tell me about yourself." Dragon Emperor says.

"Oh U mm. Right." Lillie says while snapping out of her daze before continuing.

"I am Lillie. I live on Melemele Island where I attend the Pokemon School. I love learning about Pokemon. But may I ask a question?" Lillie says.

"You may." Dragon Emperor replies.

"Why are you asking me these questions? Aren't you here to help us?" Lillie asks.

"A very good question. The answer is simple. I am not here to help you. Not yet at least till you've convinced me to." Dragon Emperor replies to everyone's shock.

"But." Serena says only to keep quiet when Dragon Emperor glances at her.

"What do you mean convince you?" Lillie asks in a somewhat flabbergasted tone.

"You see you have got an audience with me only because of my apprentices' request. However my time is far too precious. You have to first earn the right to have an audience with me. Got it?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"If you say so. But how will asking me questions about my past help in this." Lillie asks in a confused tone.

"Clever girl. Tell me for any partnership to succeed what is one element that is absolutely necessary?" Dragon Emperor asks.

Lillie thinks for a moment before saying "Trust."

"Correct. Trust is an orchid. Beautiful but very delicate. Under optimal conditions it thrives otherwise it dies. And no one likes beautiful things dying do they?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Yes. So I suppose by asking me questions about my past you are assessing whether I and the ones I represent can be trusted or not?" Lillie asks in a timid tone.

"Well what do you know. Naive but a quick learner. Now tell me about your mother." Dragon Emperor says while sitting down to Lillie's relief.

"Well she is like all mothers are. Kind, loving, caring, compassionate, understanding." Lillie says.

"And your bother?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"Well he is loving, caring and dependable. Very protective. Sometimes a little too much." Lillie says while smiling.

"I see." Dragon Emperor says when suddenly Serena's phone starts to ring. Ash glances at Serena's phone and says "You are late Palermo told you to call her at 4:45 if I remember. It's already 5:30."

"The Kalos Queen is never late Ash. Everyone else is simply early." Serena says before walking out to take the call causing Dragon Emperor to chuckle.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu says.

"You want to go with Serena?" Ash asks to which Pikachu nods.

"Go." Ash says following which Pikachu jumps of Ash's shoulder runs across the room, passes in front of Lillie and runs out of the room to join Serena.

"Continuing on. What do you think about the Aether Foundation?" Dragon Emperor says.

"Well the foundation does very noble work and I am 100% behind it's commitment to the people and Pokemon of Alola." Lillie replies.

"Tell me about your father?" Dragon Emperor says.

"U mm." Lillie says in a rather awkward way.

"Actually we have no idea where my husband is right now." Lusamine says in Lillie's stead.

"Are you Lillie?" Dragon Emperor asks.

"No but." Lusamine says only to be cutoff by the Dragon Emperor.

"But nothing. Lillie I am still awaiting your answer." Dragon Emperor says.

"None of us have any idea where my father is." Lillie says quietly.

"I see. So Lillie I asked you questions. Do you stand by your answers?" Dragon Emperor says.

"I do." Lillie says. Dragon Emperor chuckles on hearing that.

"Is something funny?" Lillie asks.

"Not funny. But interesting definitely. You told several things. Some were truths, some were partial truths and other were lies. Regardless now I will ask you questions regarding your life and I want you answer them." Dragon Emperor says.

"You don't even know me. How can you ask me questions regarding my life?" Lillie asks in a puzzled tone.

"Oh Lillie. Why don't you leave that to me. To start of tell me about the incident that happened in your childhood which rendered you incapable of touching Pokemon" Dragon Emperor asks.

"How." Lillie asks.

"Did I know? From your reactions. When Ash's Pikachu came close to you while running to join Serena your body by reflex moved back almost as if it was afraid. Not to mention you have been hugging your Alolan Vulpix much more tighter to your chest since Pikachu came to close. You see old habits die hard. Even now you do have the tendency to move away from a Pokemon you don't know even though the movement may be subtle." Dragon Emperor says.

Lillie looks at Dragon Emperor for a minute before saying "I don't have any recollection of the event that rendered me unable to touch Pokemon." Lillie says.

"Oh Lillie you really dreadful liar." Dragon Emperor says.

"I am not a liar." Lillie says.

"Don't worry I am not blaming you. But that doesn't change the fact that you are a liar." Dragon Emperor says.

"I am not." Lillie replies.

"You say all those nice things about your mother. They are true but haven't been for a long time have they?" Dragon Emperor says while getting up from his chair and walking around Lillie's.

"Your relationship with your mother is quite damaged at the moment isn't it. And why shouldn't it be. After all she never gives you any of her time does she. You want her time, trust, love yet all she does is care about the work of the Aether Foundation." Dragon Emperor says to everyone's shock. Lillie tries to say something but ends up swallowing air.

"But you mustn't blame her. This is her way of dealing with her tragic experience of her husband's death at the hands of an Ultra Beast. Am I right Mrs. Lusamine?" Dragon Emperor says to everyone's shock. Lusamine, Lillie and Gladion start shaking.

"Please don't say anything more." Lillie says.

"You back the Aether Foundation for its principles but you hate it for what is represents. Your strained relationship with your mother and brother. Don't you." Dragon Emperor says.

"Stop it." Lillie snaps at Dragon Emperor in an angry tone.

"Now we are getting somewhere." Dragon Emperor says.

"What do you want me to say. That I hate the foundation? I do. I hate it for what it has done to my mother. I don't even remember a time when we had a family dinner together because of that blasted organization." Lillie says in an angry tone.

"Good." Dragon Emperor says.

"Good?" Lillie repeats in an angry "Are you kidding me?" tone.

"Yes. Good. It means that your relationship with your mother needs work and you know that fact and it also means that your mother cares for you more than you think." Dragon Emperor says causing Lusamine and Lillie to look at each other with tears in their eyes.

"You were so young when your father was killed by a Ultra Beast in an accident the trauma caused you to suppress you your memory and rendered you incapable of touching Pokemon. The only way your mother was able to deal with it was to throw herself in the pile of work of the Aether Foundation learning everything she could about the Ultra Beasts to ensure that nobody else would lose their loved ones to the Ultra Beasts. A noble cause but at the cost of the relationship with her children. It also took a toll on your brother who tried to compensate for your mother's absence from your upbringing causing him to become over overprotective to the point of your annoyance." Dragon Emperor says while chuckling.

Gladion however doesn't react for he is just observing Lillie and Lusamine's reactions feeling himself too paralyzed to move a muscle.

"However of late your relationship with your mother has been improving hasn't it?" Dragon Emperor asks.

Lillie wipes her tears and looks at Dragon Emperor with a confused expression.

"How?" Lillie asks.

"I can see it in your eyes. Your eyes are vibrant similar to Serena's with a similar passion yet the loneliness, the depression, the want to be loved are there embedded in the backdrop of lifelessness f your lovely eyes. Yet I sense a spark in them. A spark of life. And I know why. For you have found the one thing that vexes all girls especially girls like you who crave for care, love, warmth and support." Dragon Emperor says.

"What vexes all girls?" Gladion says in a confused tone.

"Yes the promise of warmth, flesh and the desire of deeper ecstasy." Dragon Emperor says.

"I still don't understand." Lillie says.

"In layman terms who is the lucky boy?" Dragon Emperor asks causing Lillie to go pink.

"No matter just know that whoever this boy is don't let him go. He has a good hand in your bettering relationship with your mother. It's almost as if destiny provided you with your own therapy." Dragon Emperor says as Lillie tries very hard not to blush.

"You shouldn't have told revealed all these details in front of everyone." Lusamine manages to croak. She wants to be angry at the Dragon Emperor but she can't as she can see that the revelation is helping Lillie.

"I see. You were worried that revealing the details of the accident might cause Lillie to have some kind of mental trauma. However I assure you that Lillie's suppressed memory had already come back to her a long time ago. If my guess is right accepting what happened to her father is what helped Lillie to start touching Pokemon again." Dragon Emperor says.

"Is that true Lillie?" Lusamine and Gladion ask in unison in an shaky emotional tone.

Lillie does nothing but nod. Lusamine and Gladion run and tackle Lillie in an emotional hug.

"Obviare Praeterita, et Redimet, Quod Futura" Dragon Emperor says to the confusion of all.

"What does that mean?" Oak asks.

"It is from a dialect no longer spoken in the Pokemon world. What it means is 'Confront your Past and Redeem you Future'." Dragon Emperor says before turning to face the three.

"Lillie Kahele you have shown immense strength and willpower. Your conviction and optimism is of worthy praise. Next time I come back to KIP we shall deal with the Ultra Beasts you have my word. Goodbye for now and best of luck with your relationship." Dragon Emperor says before brandishing his cloak and teleporting away.

"I think we should all give them the room." Diantha says while getting up. Everyone nods and leaves giving the Kahele family their well deserved privacy.


	63. Serena vs Dawn & Ash vs May

**(Next Morning)**

"Oh no." Dawn and May say in a disappointed tone unison as they see the match ups for today. Dawn has been matched up with Serena and May has been paired with Ash.

"Looks like you guys are going to get eliminated this round." Brock says in a sad tone.

"I know. But we will give it our all." Dawn says while smiling to May's agreement.

"Best of luck Dawn." Paul says before giving her a kiss on the cheeks. This surprises everyone since Paul has never displayed any signs of affection in public since he had started dating Dawn.

"Why thanks Paul. I'll do my best." Dawn says while beaming and blushing a little.

"I'll be cheering you on. Remember don't make the same mistake Misty did. Stay focused for the most unpredictable move possible." Paul says.

"That's right." May says as she gives her friend an encouraging nod.

"All right. I'll see you guys later." Dawn says as she leaves for her battle.

 **(In the Battle Field)**

"Well Dawn. How are you?" Serena asks.

"Good. What about you?" Dawn asks back.

"I am good as well. Thank you for asking. Now shall we get this battle started?" Serena asks.

"You bet. I won't go easy on you." Dawn says.

"Both trainers ready?" Referee asks to which both Serena and Dawn nod.

"Alright then. Release your first Pokemon." Referee says.

"I'll choose first. Rhyhorn let's go." Serena says as she releases Rhyhorn.

"In that case I'll go with Piplup." Dawn says as Piplup goes onto the battlefield.

"Battle begin." Referee says.

"First move takes the win. Piplup Bubble Beam." Dawn commands as Piplup fires Bubble beam.

Serena doesn't say anything as Rhyhorn gets pelted by bubble beam. After the attack is over Rhyhorn simply shakes the water of by ferociously shaking it's head.

"Misty's bath of an attack didn't do a thing yesterday so you thought a bubble bath would do better instead?" Serena says in a taunting tone. Dawn however ignores it and gives the next command.

"Piplup Hydro Pump." Dawn commands.

"I see. Use Flash Cannon." Serena says as she sees Piplup powering up Hydro Pump.

Both Attacks meet midway but Flash Cannon comes out of the explosion towards Piplup.

"Dodge and use Whirlpool." Dawn says as Piplup creates a Whirlpool.

"Focus Blast, aim it at the bottom vortex. Follow it up with Flash Cannon." Serena commands.

Focus Blast hits the bottom vortex of the Whirlpool causing it to collapse on itself and sweep Piplup in a swirling current of water.

"Piplup." Dawn says in a worried tone. She gets relieved to see Piplup alright but then she sees Rhyhorn releasing a Flash Cannon.

"Quick use Bide." Dawn commands just before Flash Cannon makes contact with Piplup.

"Risky Strategy." Serena says while smiling.

"No guts no glory." Dawn replies as she sees Piplup managing to barely hold on.

"Too bad it's all in vain finish with Horn Drill." Serena says as Rhyhorn starts stampeding toward Piplup.

"Piplup I know you can take it. Just hang in there." Dawn says in an encouraging tone.

Rhyhorn's Horn Drill makes contact and sends Piplup flying into the stadium wall.

"Piplup." Dawn shouts as she see Piplup knocked out lying inside a crater in the stadium wall.

"Piplup is unable to battle. Rhyhorn wins. Please out your next Pokemon." Referee says.

"A word of advise. Having is good but your Pokemon should also have what it takes to pull of such a gutsy move." Serena says to which Dawn clenches her fist in sheer annoyance as she places Piplup next to her on the ground.

'That thing packs a punch. No wonder Misty lost. Best to use Strength to fight Strength.' Dawn thinks to herself as she enlarges her next Poke-ball.

"Mamoswine I choose you." Dawn says causing everyone to get surprised at her choice including Serena.

"Interesting choice. You may have the first move." Serena says.

"Mamoswine Take Down let's go." Dawn commands.

"Wait for it." Serena says as Mamoswine comes charging towards Rhyhorn.

"Double Team now." Serena commands moments before Mamoswine makes contact with Rhyhorn.

"Quick Hidden Power. Get rid of the fakes." Dawn commands.

"Iron Head go." Serena commands as all the fakes are taken out.

"We'll use Iron Head as well." Dawn commands to Serena's surprise.

The clash appears to be tied for the moment with neither Pokemon giving an inch.

"Not bad. To teach your Mamoswine Iron Head." Serena says.

"Thanks." Dawn replies.

"Just not good enough. Stop fooling Rhyhorn put that Mamoswine in it's place." Serena says as Rhyhorn gives a loud cry while using sheer force to toss Mamoswine in the air causing it to crash into the battlefield a little far away from Rhyhorn's position.

"Mamoswine get up." Dawn says in a pleading way as Mamoswine struggles to it's feet.

"Icicle crash." Dawn commands.

"Stone Edge. Take it out." Serena commands. The Stone Edge overpowers Icicle Crash and send Mamoswine flying once again, this time causing it to faint.

"Mamoswine return. You did very well." Dawn says with a sigh as she recalls her Pokemon.

"You return as well Rhyhorn." Serena says.

"Alright Quilava let's go." Dawn says.

"Swampert let's go." Serena says as she tosses her second Pokemon.

"Battle Begin." Referee says.

 **(In the Stands)**

"This is bad. Swampert is the worst choice for a fire type like Quilava." Brock says in a worried tone.

"Indeed. Well we knew she was going to lose. At least she put up a good fight." Paul says.

 **(Back in the Battlefield)**

"Quilava use Flamethrower." Dawn says.

"Swat it away with Water Gun." Serena says in a bored tone.

"Use Smokescreen to get away." Dawn says.

"Interesting strategy." Serena says as the Water Gun misses.

"Alright use Leer." Dawn commands as the Smoke Screen clears. Serena doesn't respond.

"Alright now use Flame Wheel." Dawn says a Quilava uses Flame Wheel.

"Catch it then use Mud Shot." Serena says. Dawn smirks as she thinks Serena has taken the bait.

"Use Eruption from point blank range." Dawn shouts.

"What!" Serena says as she get caught by surprise and an explosion takes place sending Swampert sliding back.

"Not bad. You actually caught me of guard. Let me return the favor. Use Scald." Serena says in an impressed tone.

"What!" Dawn shouts as she sees Quilava sent flying by Scald. Then getting a burn effect when it gets up.

"Alright Swampert let's use Dynamic punch." Serena commands.

"Quick, Quilava use Double Kick." Dawn counters.

"Much to fragile, I am afraid." Serena says as Swampert's Dynamic punch smashes Quilava into the ground.

"Quilava!" Dawn shouts.

"Qui Qui." Quilava says weakly before standing up while almost collapsing again. Suddenly a red aura engulfs Quilava as it gives a roar.

"Interesting. So this Quilava's Blaze." Serena says. Both Serena and Dawn then observe a white red light completely engulf Quilava.

"What's this?" Dawn says.

"Could it be?" Serena says as she sees Quilava's shining body become more larger.

"Typhlosion." The Pokemon shouts after completing it's evolution.

"Wow, I don't believe it. You evolved." Dawn shouts in an ecstatic tone.

"Most impressive indeed. Shall we get back to the battle?" Serena says with a more interested tone.

"You bet. Typhlosion use." Dawn says only to be interrupted by Typhlosion's roar.

Typhlosion opens it's mouth and a ball of yellow energy forms which shoots out at Swampert in the form of a beam. The beam crashes into Swampert sending it flying.

"Typhlosion you learned Solar Beam on evolving. That's excellent." Dawn shouts in an ecstatic tone.

"Nothing like a little luck. Swampert time to get serious." Serena says to which Swampert gives a battle cry and enters battle stance.

"Typhlosion use Solar Beam once more." Dawn commands.

"Swampert dodge with Dig then use Hydro Cannon from close range." Serena counters.

"Typhlosion!" Dawn cries in a concerned voice as she sees Typhlosion blasted by an effective move at close range.

"Finish with Surf." Serena says in a final way.

"Quick Flamethrower." Dawn shouts in a desperate tone.

Both moves collide with both Pokemon being at close range. The explosion engulfs both Pokemon. When the explosion clears Typhlosion is seen fainted on the ground with Swampert standing over it in a victorious posture.

"Not a very hot flamethrower, I am afraid." Serena says as she return Swampert.

"Thanks Typhlosion you did your very best." Dawn says as she return Typhlosion.

"Typhlosion is unable to battle. Serena wins." Referee says.

"That was quite the battle. I was most impressed with your Typhlosion's tenacity." Serena says as she puts on a warm smile and extends her hand out for Dawn to shake it.

"Thanks Serena. But you're very strong. Still it was a fun battle." Dawn says as she shakes Serena's hand.

 **(A little while later)**

"Alright May let's see how good you are." Ash says.

"I won't let you win without a fight you know. Besides I do have a secret weapon to use against you." May says to Ash's confusion.

"Secret weapon. What do you mean?" Ash asks.

"You'll see later." May says.

"Both trainers ready?" Referee asks to which Ash and May nod.

"Send out your first Pokemon." Referee says.

"Pikachu let's do this." Ash says as Pikachu takes battle stance.

"In that case you are up Glaceon." May says while tossing her Poke-ball.

"Battle Begin." Referee shouts.

"You may have the first move May." Ash shouts.

"Glaceon use Ice Beam." May commands.

"Agility." Ash counters.

May clenches her fist in frustration as Pikachu doges every attack.

"Alright now. Thunderbolt." Ash commands.

"Block it with Blizzard." May counters.

"Bad move." Ash says when Thunderbolt cuts through the Blizzard and lands on Glaceon causing an explosion, sending it flying.

"Glaceon!" May shouts in a concerned tone.

"Did you forget my Pikachu is at a much higher level than other Pikachus. Type Advantage except ground typing means nothing to it." Ash says to May's annoyance.

"Glaceon get up and use Ice Beam on the battle field." May commands.

Ash does nothing and patiently waits for the move to be completed.

"I believe it's my turn. Use Volt Tackle." Ash says.

"Glaceon Giga Impact." May counters.

Everyone gets shocked when they see Ash's Pikachu leave a trail of charred ground while it's rushing towards May's Glaceon which is using Giga Impact. An explosion occurs which sends bolts of lighting from the explosion to the sky and back. After the explosion has cleared Pikachu is standing completely fine while May's Glaceon is fainted on the ground with sparks still emanating from it's body.

"What power." May murmurs as she recalls Glaceon to her Poke-ball.

"Pikachu you return as well buddy." Ash says.

"Delcatty I choose you." May says.

"Interesting. It seem Skitty evolved. Let's go Infernape." Ash says while tossing his Poke-ball.

"Delcatty use Rain Dance." May commands.

Ash's Infernape doesn't even give the slightest of reactions when it starts raining.

"Not bad. What else?" Ash says.

"Here I'll show you. I'll take a page out of your book this time. Delcatty use Thunder." May says which causes Ash to have a flashback to his battle with Seibold. Infernape winces in pain as it is hit by the Thunder attack.

"Shake it of. Snap out of it." Ash says in a commanding tone hearing which Infernape gives a loud cry and shakes the Thunder of.

"Not bad May. You managed to damage Infernape. That's creditable. But play time is over. Infernape use Bulk Up." Ash commands.

"Delcatty Water Pulse." May commands.

"Swat it away with Fire Spin." Ash commands. Fire Spin cuts through water pulse and send Delcatty flying.

"Delcatty. Get up. I know you can do it." May says.

"Fire Punch both hands then use Close Combat." Ash says.

Delcatty gets attacked a few times then Infernape gets heart in it's eyes.

"Of course. It's ability is cute charm. It slipped my mind." Ash says.

"Yes it. Use Thunder once more." May commands.

"Flare Blitz." Ash says. Infernape in it's infatuated state does Flare Blitz. While being surrounded by strong flames it snaps out of it's infatuation. Infernape crashes into Delcatty with Flare Blitz and knocks it out.

"Not bad May. I had forgotten about Delcatty's cute charm ability. Of course nothing I couldn't handle." Ash replies.

"Blaziken. You are up." May says while tossing her last Pokemon.

"In that case let's make this a fighting type duel shall we. Lucario go." Ash says while sending out his last Pokemon.

"Time for my secret weapon to take the stage." May says.

"Really?" Ash says.

"Blaziken Mega Evolve." May says to Ash's surprise as Blaziken mega evolves.

"I see. So you found a Blazikenite. Where, May I ask?" Ash asks.

"In Hoenn before coming to KIP my dad gave me the Blazikenite as a gift for getting into KIP. He had been looking for one for quite some time." May replies.

Ash smiles then he casts a look at Mega Blaziken.

"Something is wrong." Ash says.

"What do you mean?" May replies.

"Your Blaziken is acting strangely. Something is off about it. Is this the first time you are using Mega Evolution?" Ash asks.

"Yes. Why?" May replies.

"You should forfeit the match May. Your Blaziken and you are not yet ready to use Mega Evolution. It will go on a rampage as the battle progresses." Ash replies.

"I won't. How do I know you are not saying that just so that you can win easily?" May asks.

"You know I won't do that. But if it does go on a rampage I trust that you will have the foresight to recall it back." Ash says.

"Fine I will. Now Blaziken use Flamethrower." May commands.

"Dodge it." Ash says as Lucario skillfully moves out of the way.

"Get moving. Use Blaze Kick." May commands.

"Lucario counter with the same." Ash commands.

Soon both Pokemon are send back sliding after clashing by using their Blaze Kicks.

"Blaziken Flare Blitz." May commands.

"Lucario Aura Sphere double team." Ash counters.

"Use Fire Pledge take them all out." May commands.

Soon Lucario is wincing in pain.

"All right keep up the pressure. Us Fire Punch." May commands.

"Lucario we need to finish this. Use Metal Sound followed by Thunder Punch both hands then Close Combat." Ash commands.

Soon Blaziken is sent flying after taking several Thunder Punches in quick succession.

"Blaziken get up." May says in a fierce tone.

Blaziken gets up and May looks happy. But Ash gets worried when he takes a close look at Blaziken's eyes.

"Oh no." Ash mutters to himself.

Blaziken gives a roar and starts shooting random flamethrowers in different directions.

"Blaziken what's going on? Get a hold of yourself." May shouts. Blaziken turns and stares at May. May gets shocked when she sees Blaziken's eyes have changed colors. Blaziken then launches a flamethrower at May who avoids it by jumping out of the line of fire at the last second. May however trips and then falls on her head and then faints.

"Hey. Here." Ash shouts in order to get Blaziken's attention from the fainted May. The ploy works as Blaziken now faces Ash and Lucario.

"Lucario we need to stop it. Are you ready?" Ash asks to which Lucario gives a nod.

"Very well." Ash says as he strikes his characteristic persona pose for mega evolution. Everyone watches as Lucario mega evolves.

"Blaziken." Blaziken shouts as it rushes towards Lucario with a Fire Punch. Lucario simply puts his left hand palm to black the Fire Punch.

Everyone gets shocked when they see the Fire Punch stopped in it's tracks.

"Alright Lucario give it a toss." Ash commands. Lucario closes his left fist on Blaziken's fist. He then pulls Blaziken by his fist, twirls it in the air and then sends it flying only to land and then tumble for quite a while before coming to a stop.

"Blaziken." Blaziken shouts with even more rage.

"I didn't want to do this. But I guess we have no choice. Lucario Aura Sphere rapid fire." Ash commands.

Lucario shoots Aura spheres one after the other. All of them meet their marks and cause an explosion. When the dust settles Blaziken is knocked out in it's original reverted form.

"You did well Lucario. Get a good rest." Ash calls as Lucario reverts back into it's original form and then gets sucked into it's Poke-ball.

"Blaziken can't battle anymore. Ash Ketchum wins." Referee announces.

Ash runs over to May. He recalls Blaziken back into it's Poke-ball. Then waits for Brock and Drew and the others to arrive. Drew takes May to the health center while Ash takes Blaziken to the Pokemon Center.

 **(Later in the Evening)**

"Hey Lillie, Mrs. Lusamine. How are all of you doing?" Ash asks.

"We are fine thank you for asking." Lillie replies.

"Well you seem to be in a happier mood. I thought after yesterday you would be." Serena says before being cut off.

"upset. I thought I would be. But I was feeling more light and better. Your teachers revealings made the 3 of us confront our problems and as a result we had the first family dinner in 8 years. I have never been more happier." Lillie says as tears come to her eyes and she smiles.

"Oh my girl." Lusamine says as she pulls Lillie into a warm embrace.

"Well good to see things are better. We just came to check up on you. Our teacher can be." Ash says before pausing for a moment.

"Well a handful. He can be a handful." Ash says as he completes his sentence.

"That he can be. But do thank him from our side once when you get him contact with him." Lusamine says.

"We'll be sure to pass the message on. We'll leave you to enjoy your newfound bliss." Ash says as he takes Serena's arms and leaves.


	64. Shifting to Wattpad

Guys I am shifting to wattpad. The atmosphere and response is much better there. If anyone has any objections or anything to say do so now.

To find it just search "Tryst with Destiny (Ash Serena Amourshipping Story)" on wattpad. It should come as the top result.


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